By Ted AYALA

A push by the City of Glendale to obtain a federal grant intended to aid in the refurbishment and replacement of its paratransit fleet moved forward Tuesday night.

A public hearing held during Tuesday’s Glendale City Council meeting was unable to find any non-profit organizations competent and willing to provide paratransit services for Glendale.

Glendale’s paratransit system, known as Dial-A-Ride, provides curb-to-curb transportation for senior citizens and the disabled. Residents that meet the Dial-A-Ride qualifications can book trips anywhere within the city. They can also be picked up and dropped off in La Crescenta and La Cañada. Dial-A-Ride patrons must pay $1.50 for each trip.

The Section 5310 grant that Glendale is applying for, which is provided by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), requires its applicants to hold public hearings to find non-profits able to provide paratransit services.

The funds are available beginning the fiscal year of their allotment, as well as an additional two years.

According to city staff, Glendale had openly advertised the hearing for over 30 days but did not receive any replies in that period.

In the event that there is no non-profit available to provide and coordinate paratransit services, the city would then be eligible for receiving the grant.

Councilmember Ara J. Najarian said the city “gave its shot” to find a local non-profit that would be interested in Glendale’s Dial-A-Ride.

“This is a rather highly technical, sophisticated process involving dispatch, maintenance, and reimbursement,” he said of the non-profit’s Dial-A-Ride responsibilities.

  Ted Ayala