ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A longstanding taxi service in Escanaba is shutting down operations next month, which could have a major impact on people who take public transportation, as well as other providers in the area.
Escanaba’s JN Taxi has announced a tentative closure date of May 11. For Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA) Executive Director John Stapleton, the news came as a surprise.
“In Delta County, primarily, there’s two modes of transportation,” he said. “The hours that we’re not in service, JN Taxi is in service seven days a week, 24/7. It’s also part of the reason why our service only runs Monday through Friday and we don’t run Saturday and Sunday or evening hours.”
According to JN Taxi staff member Clarence Couillard, rising insurance rates have made it no longer “economically feasible” to stay in business. Stapleton says he understands why providers are struggling.
“Inflation has caused a lot of things to go up,” said Stapleton. “We’ve lost 25% of our funding from state operating, along with all the increased costs.”
People who depend on taxi services are wondering how they will get where they need to go. Many have taken to Facebook to voice their concerns and ideas, with one post about JN Taxi’s announcement generating more than 100 comments.
“It’s going to be a little difficult to take up all of the slack that they covered seven days a week,” said Stapleton. “That’s a really tough feat.”
He says DATA is exploring ways to try to meet as much of the demand for transportation services as possible.
“We’re looking at applying for some funds for job access, getting people to and from work,” said Stapleton. “Traditionally, that pool of money has been not open to new applicants and we have not been a recipient to that.”
However, DATA expects the process of expanding its hours of operation to take time.
“We have to do an application with MDOT, and we also have to figure out where we come up with 50% of those funds locally,” Stapleton explained. “Do those come from fares? Does it come from millages or appropriations from, say, a city or a county?”
Moving ahead, the Transit Authority plans to work with the Central U.P. Planning and Development Regional Commission to host public meetings where community members can provide input. Stapleton says a transportation study also happens to be scheduled in Delta, Schoolcraft, and Menominee Counties for later this year. He believes that will help to address how great the need for public transportation really is after JN Taxi’s departure.
“I think one of the biggest things that people don’t understand is we only service seven townships and two cities,” said Stapleton. “There’s still seven townships without service in Delta County. It’s not just what’s needed in Escanaba or Gladstone; it’s what’s needed in all of Delta County.”
For more information on the Delta Area Transit Authority’s current hours and services, visit databus.org.
