There’s good news for users of Benton Harbor’s Dial A Ride as a new insurance carrier has been found for the service.
The Twin Cities Area Transportation Authority Board met Tuesday and learned a new policy from Obsidian Insurance Holdings has been secured. We’ve reported Dial A Ride was in danger of being taken off the road because its previous insurer, the Michigan Transit Pool, made the decision in September to drop its coverage. TCATA leaders had until the end of December 1 to find new insurance or the buses wouldn’t be able to run.
TCATA Director Todd Shurn told us Tuesday it’s been rough finding a solution.
“It definitely is stressful because we’re in the high risk pool,” Shurn said. “When you’re in a high risk pool, you don’t have the options. So people are asking, ‘Well, we want this, we want that.’ We wanted those things too, but we’re not in a position to make it happen.”
The new insurance isn’t cheap. TCATA Deputy Director Tressa Greschak told the board the yearly cost will go from about $70,000 to $285,000.
Greschak told us with the policy secured, there will be no interruptions in service for riders, and improvements to service are planned.
“I am really pushing to increase service for people,” Greschak said. “I think that will be better for the public and that will be better for our staff and just better operationally in general. There are definitely going to be some tradeoffs, but I think they will be worth it for the long term.”
Greschak said internal reforms are in the works to lower Dial A Ride’s insurance costs. They include better maintenance of vehicles, safety training for staff, cameras and trackers in the vehicles, and new legal counsel that specializes in transportation. With those changes in place, Dial A Ride can reduce its risk status.
The TCATA board voted to approve the new policy at Tuesday’s meeting.
