GENERAL INFORMATION

Gadabout is a New York State chartered not-for-profit corporation. We began operating 40years ago. We provide door-to-door transportation services for people 60 years and over and people with disabilities in Tompkins County.
No. Gadabout is a separate entity. We have our own staff, equipment, by-laws and board of directors. T-CAT does contract us to manage the service that they are required to provide under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and we share the ITTC building on Willows Avenue, but we are two separate organizations.
The best way to find out for sure is to call us at (607) 273-1878 or e-mail us at gadaboutgroup@tcatmail.com.

FUNDING & EXPENSES

We receive funding from a number of different sources. Many of them can only provide us with a limited amount. We budget carefully and watch our costs. Our annual fundraising campaign helps ensure we can balance the books at the end of the year, purchase needed supplies and equipment,m repair buses, maintain the level of service we've always provided and most importantly, keep our fares low.
The last time we calculated, it was roughly $25.00 per rider, and it continues to rise as gas prices do.
Fares are $2.00 or $3.00 per one-way trip, depending on the origin and the destination. We don't raise them because many of our passengers are older adults on fixed incomes or people with a disability with limited earning power. They might not be able to take care of critical needs such as prescription drugs, grocery shopping or expensive medical treatments.
We are part of the nationwide public transportation system and we receive State Transit Operating Assistance. We have funding agreements with local agencies. We seek donations through our annual fundraising campaign. Fares and user revenue make up 48% of our budget. The rest comes from municipalities, the United Way, Office for the aging, other grants, and donations.
We've never done that in 40 years of operation. We provided over 60,000 one-way rides annually. Chances are you know someone we helped. We were there for them, and want to be there for you in case you need us too.
We run and maintain a fleet of 31 buses. We're feeling the same pain at the pump as you are, but multiplied by 31 times.
That's a great question! We'd like to, but we're awarded our vehicles through a ?New York State contract program because it greatly reduces the price. The state needs to make them available to us through that contract program. Gadabout and its colleagues are lobbying for this, and you can tell your legislators that this is a great idea.
We're leaving some staff positions vacant. We're focusing on carrying as many riders at a time from one area to another, which increases our overall efficiency. We're emphasizing preventative-maintenance inspections of our vehicles, which reduces repair costs. We're also devoting more time to finding and applying for grant monies.

DONATIONS

No. You can make a tax-deductible contribution to us at any time. We've conducted the annual fundraising campaign for several years, always in August. The cost of gas is having a major impact on our resources, so any help you could provide at this time would be greatly appreciated.
Almost. A few years ago we received some very generous donations in honor of a long-time rider who passed away. We were asked to put these funds toward the purchase of a new bus and name it in her honor. Those funds served as the local match to purchase the bus.
Yes. Your donation helps us pay for things such as bus maintenance, gasoline, insurance, driver training and licensing, personnel, equipment and supplies. Donations to our annual fund-raising campaign are a major factor in helping us keep our fares low. Finally, contributions like yours have helped us stay in operation for more than 40 years and will help ensure we'll be here for another 40.

VOLUNTEERING

We always need volunteers. Our volunteers reduce the cost of operating our service by more than $68,000 a year, simply by donating their time.
Yes and yes. You must have a valid NY State driver's license and you'll need an NY State Class C Commercial Driver's License. We'll train you for free and pay for your licensing. Call us at (607) 273-1878 or email us at gadaboutgroup@tcatmail.com