Bellefonte to subsidize Center County rides; council approves trial rates starting July 1

Bellefonte Borough Council on Monday approved a trial agreement with Center County Transportation that will subsidize rides for Bellefonte residents beginning July 1, with the borough covering part of the fare for eligible riders and Center County managing registration and billing.

Under the approved plan, residents 60 and older will ride free; people with qualifying disabilities will pay a reduced fare (about $4.25 per one-way trip for paratransit); and other borough residents who do not qualify for state funding will pay a maximum out-of-pocket fare of $5 per one-way trip while the borough subsidizes the remaining mileage-based charge. Center County Transportation will track usage and bill the borough monthly.

Deb Cleeton and members of the Public Transit Task Force described the arrangement as a stopgap after Bellefonte transitioned from its prior contractor and as a way to preserve service for residents who use the system for medical, work and essential trips. "Once we pass this this evening, then, we will start advertising this to the public and give them a chance to register with Center County Transportation," a task force member said.

Center County Transportation Director Dave Lomison (transcript spelling variants: Lomison/Lommasson) provided usage data and eligibility details. Lomison told council that, from the prior year's data, 106 clients had used the borough's previous beeline service; 46 of those were already registered with the county system; 74 of the 106 took 10 trips or fewer in the year; and a small number (about 16 people) took 50 or more trips. He said most trips from the Bellefonte area historically fall in the program’s lower mileage tiers; longer inter-county trips were rare.

Council members asked about budget impact. Borough staff said about $16,000 remained in the transportation line item for the year; both staff and the county said the program will be monitored monthly and could be revisited during the next budget cycle if usage exceeds expectations. "What will happen on July 1 is that Center County Transportation will keep track of every Bellefonte resident that uses this service and how far they've gone," a task force representative said; monthly reporting and a borough invoice were promised.

Council approved the proposed calculated rates and the trial arrangement in a roll-call vote. Council members and county staff emphasized that the program is experimental: if demand rises sharply, the borough and county will meet to reconsider funding levels and eligibility.

Council members encouraged residents to contact Center County Transportation directly for registration and questions. The county said it would determine rider eligibility (senior, persons with disabilities, medical assistance) during the registration process.