Town of Chevy Chase Weighs Taxi, Shuttle Bus Options

Town of Chevy Chase residents will discuss, at a public hearing on Wednesday, the possibility of testing a taxi reimbursement program for seniors or shuttle buses to make it easier for residents to access downtown Bethesda and the Bethesda Metro station, according to The Town of Chevy Chase Forecast.

• The taxi reimbursement program would reimburse the town's senior residents (age 67 and older) for taxi fares, up to $30 a month per person. Cost estimates are difficult to determine, but "assuming 50 senior residents take advantage of this service, it would cost approximately $18,000 per year," the town reported.

• A shuttle bus service would connect the Town of Chevy Chase and downtown Bethesda from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays. The service would be primarily for senior citizens, but all town residents would be permitted to ride. The service would cost about $70,000 a year for one bus (running every hour) or about $132,000 a year for two buses (with buses running every 30 minutes), according to an information sheet published by the town (see attached photos).

To expand the shuttle bus service to cover commuting hours—thereby running the bus or buses from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays—would cost $214,461 a year for one bus (running every hour) or $428,922 a year for two buses (with buses running every 30 minutes). This option is not currently under consideration by the town council, the information sheet said.

"The [Town of Chevy Chase] Council would like to come away from the public hearing [on June 12] with a clear sense of which, if any, service residents would support," ," The Forecast reported. "If there is clear support for one option, and the Council approves the initiative, it will be provided initially on a trial basis. At the end of the trial, the Council will evaluate the effectiveness of the service and will hold another public hearing before deciding whether to provide the service for a longer term."

To share your thoughts on these transportation options, speak at the public hearing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, at the town hall, at 4301 Willow Lane, or email comments to townoffice@townofchevychase.org.

Which service would you prefer for your neighborhood?