Maxi-Taxi Flourishes
Randolph's door-to-door shuttle, the Maxi-Taxi, has experienced a sharp rise in ridership during the past few months, resulting in a noticeable increase over the same period last year.
The Maxi-Taxi, started in 1990, has become an integral part of life for village residents and those in Randolph Center and Mobile Acres to reach medical appointments, shopping opportunities, and essential services locally. A growing number of people are traveling to and from area job-sites via Maxi-Taxi, as well.
Kelly Wheatley, Stagecoach Ride Coordinator, attributes the ridership increase to a heightened awareness of the benefits, both financial and environmental, of using public transportation.
The Maxi-Taxi service operates between the hours of 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday, on an advance reservation basis. So that passengers can schedule desired pick-up times, Stagecoach Operations Supervisor, Don Ferris, encourages people to call well in advance. "The further ahead you call, the more likely you are to get the date and time you want."
The fare for village transports is $3 per round-trip, and $2 one-way, and Shaw’s Supermarket pays the fare for its customers within Randolph village. Outside the village limits, a round-trip costs $5 while one-way fare is $3. Stagecoach allows one additional, complimentary stop with each round-trip; beyond that, the charge for each stop is $1.
The success of Randolph's Maxi-Taxi has sparked the interest of others to explore this concept. Stagecoach is currently working with the newly formed Bradford Area Transportation Committee, comprised of business leaders, health care providers and human services agencies, to gauge the interest in and feasibility of such a service in that locality.
