Although the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority has no Rota office, it recently gave the Rota Mayor\u2019s Office an American Disabilities Act-compliant transit van for the island\u2019s use and Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig assures that this van is ready to serve those with disabilities or for those who lack transportation on the island.<\/p>\n
In an email Thursday, Atalig said the van stands ready for service and those on Rota wishing to make use of the van\u2019s service can call his office and they will be attended to.<\/p>\n
Atalig made the clarification in response to a concern raised that the van is just \u201csitting at the [Rota] Mayor\u2019s office parking lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alfreda C. Maratita, who heads COTA as special assistant for public transportation, pointed out that the Municipality of Rota is fully responsible for the transit van.<\/p>\n
As per the memorandum of understanding between COTA and Rota leadership that was signed on July 1, COTA was responsible just for procuring the van and shipping it to Rota. Once the van was on Rota, the local municipality was to be fully responsible for its \u201cfuel, lubrication, repair, maintenance, and upkeep.\u201d <\/p>\n
Maratita assured that COTA is in the \u201cplanning phase\u201d of formally expanding its services to Tinian and Rota, and that the MOU with Rota was a means to provide transport services on the island in the meantime.<\/p>\n
Maratita acknowledged that \u201cperception is everything\u201d and said that for COTA, its vans could be seen parked at the Marianas Business Plaza\u2019s parking lot, where COTA is currently based. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that we\u2019re not doing anything. …We are operating this service very differently,\u201d said Maratita. <\/p>\n
Maratita reiterated that the transit van on Rota is not within COTA\u2019s jurisdiction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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