Community members discuss transportation needs

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Wave Transit staff members are looking for ways to improve service by hosting public forums all week. The forums are mainly about how to spend federal money that was given to Wave Transit to develop a program to better serve people 85 and older and those with disabilities.

Some of the main points people who attended the meeting at Leland Town Hall talked about were transit hours, who qualifies for free or reduced bus passes, and outside services for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Vanessa Lacer, Wave Transit mobility manager, said they are looking at how to get those types of services to the community. She said they were granted about $600,000 in federal grant money to help. She said the money is divided over three years.

“Reducing or removing, the best case scenario, barriers to existing transportation and then we’re increasing mobility options,” said Lacer. “So we will be adding transportation that doesn’t currently exist.”

Lacer said they are open to working with other organizations who would want to provide services.

“We’re encouraging non-profits, government agencies and private transportation to think outside the box. And again Wave will kind of work with them to find the most efficient way to spend the money,” Lacer.

Lacer said they are still collecting feedback.

There will be two other open forums; Thursday at New Hanover County Senior Center at 12:30 p.m. and Saturday at the Northeast Regional Library at  2 p.m.