CASE STUDY OF USER-SIDE SUBSIDIES FOR THE HANDICAPPED IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, instituted a user-side subsidy program in June 1978 for handicapped users of taxi and chair-car companies. Because of the unique features of the program, a case study was undertaken by the UMTA Service and Management Demonstration program. The Milwaukee County program is funded entirely by county and state contributions. Unlike other user-side subsidy programs that serve the elderly and the handicapped, the Milwaukee County program serves only handicapped persons. Eligibility for the program is limited to the legally blind and to persons who require the use of a wheelchair, a walker, or crutches. Door-to-door transportation is provided for eligible persons who use the services of private taxi and chair-car companies. By 1982 five taxi companies and three chair-car companies accepted program vouchers. Participants pay the first $1.50 cost of a trip. The remaining cost is subsidized by the program-up to a maximum of $9.50 per trip, depending on the individual's handicap classification. Simple administrative procedures for subsidy distribution have been devised for the program and approximately 12 percent of the 1980 budget of $1 million has been spent on administrative activities. The paratransit industry in the county has expanded since the institution of the program, and providers appear to be competing actively for program ridership. Enrollment in the program by the eligible population is high, with wheelchair users making the majority of program trips. The program offers a high level of service to the most severely handicapped residents of the county, and the Milwaukee County experience should help other area administrators anticipate and meet the demand of handicapped persons for low-cost accessible service.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/934/934-002.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=CASE+STUDY+OF+USER-SIDE+SUBSIDIES+FOR+THE+HANDICAPPED+IN+MILWAUKEE+COUNTY&author=M.+Lovely&publication_year=1983
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Transportation for the Transportation Disadvantaged. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Lovely, Mary E
• Conference:
  • 62nd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1983-1-17 to 1983-1-21
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 9-13
• Monograph Title: TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AFFECTING THE ELDERLY AND THE HANDICAPPED: AMERICAN AND CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 934
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: County government; Paratransit services; Persons with disabilities; Quality of service; State government; Subsidies; Taxicabs; User side subsidies; Visually impaired persons; Wheelchairs
• Geographic Terms: Milwaukee County (Wisconsin); Wisconsin
• Subject Areas: Highways; Public Transportation; Society; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00386416
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309036240
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 28 1984 12:00AM