CAMBRIDGE, Md.- Delmarva Community Service is struggling to keep its transit services open to the public in Dorchester County. This could particularly impact many seniors who regularly rely on DCS for transportation.
When Lillian Maston of Vienna retired, she got rid of her car. She figured the buses would always be there.
"It's cheaper to ride the buses because I don't have to pay car insurance," she said.
DCS will receive $65,000 from the county; however, this year the county wants some oversight on how DCS allocates its money to centers in Cambridge, Hurlock and Golden Hill.
The county wants each center to get $15,000, but DCS fears the leftover cash would not be enough to run the bus service as is much longer and that has some seniors worried.
"I live in Hurlock to and I don't know if I could still come or not," said Betty Jackson of Cambridge.
These buses serve as more than just a means of transportation: for seniors they are a lifeline to stay connected to the outside world. Shirley Jackson has worked at the senior center in Hurlock for 10 years. She said many people rely on the buses.
"It's very important that they have this in the back of their mind that I can call transportation and they will come pick me up and take me to various locations," Jackson said.
WBOC contacted Dorchester County Council President Jay Newcomb about this issue. He said, "Delmarva Community Services can still have their money, but they need to find a way to keep all three centers open equally. That's the only way to be fair."
The issue is far from over. DCS and the County Council will continue to iron out their differences. In the meantime, the future of the agency's bus service hangs in the balance.
