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Section 2 DESCRIPTION OF CITY AND TRANSIT SYSTEM <br /> � 2.1 DESCR/PTION OF CITY <br /> The City of Decatur is a community of 83,885 persons located in Central Illinois. <br /> The City comprises a land area of 44 square miles or 1,906 residents per square <br /> mile. It is a community with such industries as A.E. Staley Manufacturing <br /> Company; Archer-Daniels-Midland; Firestone; Mueller Co.; Wagner Castings; <br /> and Caterpillar Tractor Company. Approximately 15 per cent of the population <br /> is comprised of minority persons. Municipal government form is the City <br /> Manager/Council form with an appointed City Manager and an elec;ed Mayor <br /> and six Council members. <br /> 2.2 DESCR/PTION OF TRANS/T SYSTEM <br /> The Department of Community Development has direct responsibility for the <br /> transit system. The transit system was acquired from a private operator in 1972 <br /> and it has been managed by private firms under contract with the City since that <br /> date. The City owns 26 transit coaches (seven 1979 Grumman Flxibles, seven <br /> 1987 Flxible Metros, and twelve 1993 TMC buses. During the peak periods of <br /> the day 21 buses are operated. An order for eleven new buses is expected to be <br /> placed in the near future. There are 44 full-time employees, consisting of 27 <br /> operators, eight mechanics, and nine administrative staff members. The current <br /> transit operating budget is �2.2 million. DPTS provides bus service Monday <br /> through Saturday, carrying about 875,000 passengers each year and operating <br /> almost 800,000 miies annually. In addition, DPTS provides specialized <br /> transportation services for the disabled, including funding a subsidized taxi-cab <br /> program for the disabled and operating a demand-responsive, lift-equipped van <br /> for wheelchair-bound persons unable to use the taxi-cab program or the fixed <br /> route accessible buses. <br /> -3- <br />