Now
Fair
73°
High
88°
Low
63°
Full Forecast

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

StarTran drivers oppose proposed cuts

Comments 53 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

BY ZACH PLUHACEK / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 - 09:55:08 pm CDT

Lincoln’s bus drivers say they are looking out for their passengers by opposing cuts that would significantly reduce StarTran’s midday service.

The $589,000 in proposed cuts, part of Mayor Chris Beutler’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, would help bridge a nearly $6 million budget gap. They would cancel all but four of the 18 routes the buses currently run between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and eliminate the positions of nine drivers and a maintenance worker.

At a public hearing in the City Council chambers Thursday, the StarTran Advisory Board voted unanimously against the service cuts. The City Council will vote on those cuts in mid-August.

Mike Wiese, bus driver and president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1293, said the loss of jobs is not the drivers’ main concern. Turnover and retirements would empty most of those positions in the near future anyway, he said.

Their concern is the passengers’ transportation, he said.

“You worry about how they are gonna get to where they need to go and do what they need to do,” he said Sunday.

The drivers’ union held a closed meeting Sunday to plan its response to the cuts. In an interview after the meeting, Wiese said it makes no sense to cut bus routes as gas prices and the public’s reliance on mass transit increase.

StarTran’s fixed-route ridership increased from roughly 1.6 million to 1.77 million between the 2004-05 fiscal year and the 2005-06 fiscal year, the last year for which the data was available.

“We’re trying to get more people on the bus as part of this,” said Rick Hoppe, assistant to the mayor.

Part of the money saved with the service cuts would be used to expand eligibility for the Ride for Five program, which provides $5-a-month bus passes to low-income people.

The majority of the mayor’s proposed cuts, however, would offset the increased price of fuel and other regular costs. Hoppe said the city would need to come up with $500,000 to keep StarTran at its current level of service.

“The cost of fuel for StarTran alone, from January, went up $382,000,” he said. “This is a fairly limited amount of time that the routes will not be running … in comparison to the significant increase in gas and personnel.”

When it’s all said and done, the proposed budget allots about $7,000 less to StarTran than last year’s did. The major difference is how that money would be spent.

The StarTran board supported the Ride for Five initiative, as did Wiese. But given the choice, Wiese said, he would prefer the city leave things the way they already are, or find another way to cover StarTran’s expenses.

“It just doesn’t make sense to expand the number who can ride for five and then not give them any service,” he said.

Wiese, and drivers Charlie Schroeder and Marilyn Kruger, all said they support Beutler’s original plan for a city property tax increase to help bridge the budget gap. Wiese also said he would support an increase in fares over the service cuts, and claims the majority of his riders feel the same way.

The four midday routes that would remain should the mayor’s budget be passed as is are a downtown route, a university route, a north-south route and an east-west route.

Schroeder said the city’s proposal doesn’t take students enough into account, and lacks options for those who regularly use routes other than the university route.

Kruger has worked on a 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. route before, and said ridership during those hours was substantial.

“It was certainly enough to justify service,” she said. “This is gonna affect lots of people.“

A large crowd showed up for Thursday’s StarTran board hearing, Wiese said, and he was happy for the turnout.

“I think that was just, it was nice to see. … And everybody was against the cuts.”

Reach Zach Pluhacek at 473-7306 or zpluhacek@journalstar.com.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
Sue Eckley wrote on July 17, 2008 9:46 pm:
" Make me laugh. Look at the union and what they propose and then ask yourself - we are concerned about the riders. Give me a BIG BREAK. It's all about the money and the jobs. Good for your, Mayor, it's about time you look at what really needs to happen. "

 Disgusting wrote on July 17, 2008 10:27 pm:
" I just hope that no one in your family is unable to drive at some point in the future. For people with disabilities (such as blindness) due to nature or due to injury, the bus system can be a lifesaver. Shame on you! "

 Mark wrote on July 17, 2008 10:57 pm:
" I use Star Tran quite extensively and have for years. The proposed route cuts will hurt the lower income (poor, working poor, the elderly, the disabled.) people the most; those who can least afford it. We can cut all the route times so the busses don't run so often and we can raise the fairs. Just to name two alternatives. What's the point in having a mass transit system if the Mayor/City council is going to all but put it out of business? I personally have seen ridership increase substantially over these past several months and as fuel prices remain high ridership will only increase. Give the new system a chance to work.
Signed: A poor,disabled, senior, vet. "

 a modest proposal wrote on July 17, 2008 10:57 pm:
" I have a great plan: let's cut the bus system back every few months so that it is harder and harder for poor people, people on a fixed income, people who can't drive, students, and those who ride mass transit to help the environment to actually USE the bus system. Then let's rearrange the routes just to confuse everyone.

Then while we're at it, we can have some city council members can say idiotic things about what happens on buses (John Camp thinks people are getting mugged because of the window ads? huh?).

Then once we make it impossible for people to ride the buses usefully (Get out of work past 6? out of luck. Need to go somewhere on a Sunday? too bad. Have a class to get to between 10a-2p? Joke's on you!), ridership will drop enough that we can justify KILLING THE ENTIRE BUS BUDGET and call it a "savings"!

That would be great! (unless you happened to be a bus rider, of course) "

 JB wrote on July 17, 2008 11:02 pm:
" The buses needed more now with the high gas prices and what does the city want to do? Cut! "

 MP wrote on July 17, 2008 11:08 pm:
" I live on a bus route and every day that bus goes buy and its empty. Lets say that bus is getting at best 10MPG, the city is paying $4.00 a gallon for fuel, and ever person is paying $1.25 a ride. Well you do the math that bus would have to be almost full to make a profit. Then you have to pay the maintenance and driver. So now it has to be full to make a profit. The city needs to invest in smaller buses for these small routes. It's not that hard keep track of the peak and off peak times and adjust to it. You dont have to cut routes just make the mode of transportation smaller. "

 Justin Moss wrote on July 17, 2008 11:23 pm:
" I am not at all in favor of cutting public transportation, especially - as the article says - during this time of high gasoline prices and increased public reliance on public transportation. I believe the union IS concerned about the riders. I personally ride on afternoon routes quite often, and from my own experience I can confirm that ridership is substantial during these times. Not everyone owns a car; moreover, not everyone can afford a car or has no problems driving themselves. Not everyone wants to pay $4.00 per gallon multiple times a month. And many people, myself included, consider StarTran a viable option for doing the morally proper thing and reducing our environmental footprint. I think a slight rate increase is a fine option for protecting our public transportation. "

 times are tuff wrote on July 17, 2008 11:33 pm:
" "StarTran drivers oppose proposed cuts"

I'll bet they do! Especially when they see that next electric bill! HAHAHA! "

 easy fix wrote on July 18, 2008 12:46 am:
" With oil prices rising along with everything else, this is an easy fix. Raise the cost of riding the bus. All other businesses do it to survive. "

 Locke wrote on July 18, 2008 3:31 am:
" When I initially moved to Lincoln, the bus that came near to my house only did so twice a day. Once early in the morning and once early evening. As such, it just didn't work to take the bus and I drove each day. When the bus service changed and started offering more frequent trips (once an hour), I started taking bus exclusively. Cutting down on the mid day routes will reduce not only ridership then, but also in the morning and the evening. "

 BicycleMike wrote on July 18, 2008 3:42 am:
" Just a thought Sue, often times people who work in public transit do indeed care about mass transportation and the riders who use it. I'm not a transit employee but I'm well aware of the attitude and outlook that many transit employees have, they do honestly care. I Assume Sue that your a non-union employee, as a result do you automatically default to the idea that these particular union employees care for nothing more than jobs and pay? In my opinion that is rather short sighted. The Mayor is going to have to make some really tough decisions, instead of blasting an organization, let's try and support the Mayor as well as the union and find the best way forward. Sue, when was the last time you were aware of a Star Tran bus driver involved in an accident given the amount of driver miles in a year's period? Professionals, true professions that deserve more than "give me a BIG BREAK." Additionally I don't really find the situation something that makes me laugh anyway, it's actually pretty serious. "

 Hugh wrote on July 18, 2008 3:54 am:
" Ms. Eckley, it's rather apparent from your comment that you do not depend on public transportation, unlike may other people in Lincoln. There are also those who choose public transit over driving to save gas and help protect the environment. I would support a property tax increase to support StarTran. With high fuel prices we should be promoting more public transportation, not less. "

 Patrick wrote on July 18, 2008 5:19 am:
" There's alot of people like myself who don't always work 9-5 shifts that need these buses to get to work. On my days off I frequently ride at those times to go shopping, eat out at restaurants and hang out at a coffee house. I'm pumping my own hard earned dollars into this lagging economy while doing so.
I'm also concerned for the low-income elderly and infirmed people who rely on these buses to get to Doctor's appointments, clinics and rehabilitation centers. "

 tim wrote on July 18, 2008 5:50 am:
" so....with the super high gas prices we have, more people will use the bus system I suppose. So Lincoln cuts bus service. Hey!!!.... we need MORE bus service you dummies! I'd take it everyday. Lets cut bus service....oh my god! I wonder if the people in "charge" have a clue. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Cut bus service...I have heard it all now. "

 jon wrote on July 18, 2008 6:05 am:
" Take a look and the "BUILDING, FIRE AND SAFETY DEPT" this is the citys biggest joke. They are provided a car and GAS! Give them a pay cut, take away the cars and GAS. Do we really need some overzealous bureaucrat to tell us twice a year that grills can be un safe? Washing your hands can be unsafe too. This dept really gets my goat. The next time I see one of those cars at the lake loaded with the guys family I think I will have to say something. It just is'nt right. "

 HOORAY wrote on July 18, 2008 6:19 am:
" It's about time SOMEONE took a stand. Look at the ridership on the busses during this time. They are almost empty most of the time. Let the cry-baby union shut up and make the needed cuts. THEN perhaps we can get service later in the evenings and, god forbid, limited service on Sunday.

On more note....let's STOP running all of those busses through downtown. what is Lincoln living in???...the dark ages???? "

 Penny wrote on July 18, 2008 7:17 am:
" When will the city of Lincoln realize that public transportation is an essential city service? Not every citizen of this city can afford a car or has the ability to drive. "

 accountability wrote on July 18, 2008 8:12 am:
" Why should the city tax payers subsidize a service that is used (poorly) by a select few. The budget cuts should help them find a better way to run StarTran like a business and not a charity.

Double the fare and take a way the ride for 5.

I've rode the bus system off and on - it is empty most of the day.

While I believe StarTran provides a good service, I DO NOT believe it is an entitlement so needed to drag down the budget. Fiscal responsibility comes first. "

 Taxpaper wrote on July 18, 2008 8:24 am:
" I agree that public transportation is necessary, and if it can't break even financially for the city it's still important. However, only occasionally do I actually see more than a handful of people riding these monster busses. Handi-bus size seems much more efficient for a high number of these routes. PS If bus drivers cared as much for pedestrians and fellow traffic sharing their road as they did for their riders (according to the story -ha!) maybe I'd care about their opinion. "

 Rodger Green wrote on July 18, 2008 8:26 am:
" For six years I was fortunate to be able to ride the bus to and from work. It took a while to wean myself from the "car Habit' and I didn't have to transfer so the transition was easier.

EVERY bus driver acted like they were happy to see me and to get me to their destination. On one occasion, my bus was struck by a car and a supervisor took us the rest of the way.

It concerns me that people who do not ride the bus make decisions about Star Tran. I propose an experiment. For two weeks, every city employee, including the Council and Mayor, should have to ride the bus and only the bus for transportation. They would ride free. At the end of the two weeks, we could have a "lessons learned" session at the Council chambers.

I am certain some emloyees would have to go early to be places and some would have to stay late. Some would not get there at all. Just like regular people.

It is disingenous to propose low income fares and then make it difficult or impossible to use them.

To find money for construction projects and to pay tax dollars to support private developers must be easier than to provide services to the people whom the adminstration is charged to serve. We seem to do it regularly "

 reply to Penny wrote on July 18, 2008 8:26 am:
" Why should 90% of the Lincoln residents pay (out the nose) for someone else's (poorly run) service?

Cutting services could help private money come back to the center of Lincoln rather than out of control urban sprall. Lots and homes near downtown and business centers would be worth more because of location. "

 In the middle of nowhere wrote on July 18, 2008 8:27 am:
" I have been an active rider for the last few years, not because of economics, but because it is the right thing to do. The buses are traveling all across the community. Making it convenient to go where I’m going, be it to work or shopping, so it’s redundant to drive a car and create twice the pollution and incur the extra cost of $4 gas. This is effective transportation; I wish more people would realize this.
We as a community have based it around the car, from low density housing to free parking for shopping. The roads are the area we have subsidized. Our taxes are primarily going for this and other related infrastructure needs. The initial costs of the new roads and its maintenance is a very large expense for the tax payers. For this, we beat up the public bus system, because it needs to be subsidized not realizing that we need to change our priorities as it comes to energy usage.
This also was reflected in the scientific telephone survey where 43% of respondents indicated that funding and services for Effective Transportation should be increased,”
We seem to think that effective transportation is driving down the road unencumbered. We need to change our way of thinking at the problems we have before us. "

 Proposal wrote on July 18, 2008 8:33 am:
" Here's a proposal for you, Mr. Mayor and all who support cutting back bus routes. Take the bus, and only the bus, for two weeks. Cars must stay in the garage. Have the Journal Star cover your experience. My guess is that you'd be proposing more bus routes instead of less. "

 Dano wrote on July 18, 2008 8:49 am:
" I ride the bus easily 10-15 times a month when I car pool to work. I have never seen one instance of violenece on a bus or felt uncomfortable with any riders. I am offended by the off hand remarks of people like Sue and the "honorable" councilman, who do not rely on the bus system for a means to move around the city.

I save $30-40 a week by not using my car to go everywhere, and that is after the fare I pay to do so. i have seen ridership increase in the last year. I believe that there are people who need this service far more than I ever do. Before we go cutting into such a vital service, why don't we start looking at all the city council perks, city governement perks, etc that are truly wasteful expenses.

The next time the council votes on such perks like internet for themselves, a private bathroom, use of a vehicle, lunches here and there, bonuses for underperforming departments, an empty 3rd floor of the city county building, etc. Maybe it should consider the overall picture, and not the personal bearing/beneift it has for them. And I guess it goes to say for all city government entities. You should all look hard and deep into where your money is really going. Start cutting out the waste and being more efficient with your dollar. "

 Sheridan Weideman wrote on July 18, 2008 9:01 am:
" I moved here from Europe three years ago. I moved from a country where public transportation pretty much rules. Trains, trams and buses everywhere, used every day.
I never learned to drive as a bus was only a 5 minute walk away.
When I moved here and saw the prices of cars, insurance, etc not forgetting of course the recent increases in gas, I decided to look for employment exclusively downtown, that would only take one bus to get to.
I was lucky enough to find the perfect position for me professionally, but also when it came to transport there and back. Even though I work full time and use mainly early morning and late night routes, the midday services are convenient, they allow me to come home early on certain days, to leave work if I feel unwell, or to pick up my children from school after a call from the nurse because they are sick.
Did the Mayor think about those circumstances?
I would also take the increase in fares or property tax over the cuts.
People need to be heard! I agree with what was written in the opinion section of the Journal Star on Wednesday ... Maybe city officials need to have their transport taken away and take only the bus for one month... walk a mile in our shoes! "

 perpetua wrote on July 18, 2008 9:07 am:
" Those who say they see empty busses are looking at isolated situations. To properly view this it takes a broad view. From talking to Startran officials I have been told that ridership is up between 8-20%. I spoke to 2 people yesterday that are starting to ride the bus because they can no longer afford the gas. This is a sign of the times. What is needed, is to stay the course and look for ways to encourage more use. "

 peb wrote on July 18, 2008 9:08 am:
" Now is the time for bus riders to stop being apathetic and speak up. Go the council meetings, write letters. The city council has an email address that emails can be sent to and they do read them. Push for establishing "Park & Ride" locations. Tell your friends and co-workers about riding the bus. "

 a peeved citizen wrote on July 18, 2008 9:12 am:
" Oh who cares about this? I'd be more happy if the Union and Drivers realized that the rules of road, such as right of way applies to all motor vehicles, including StarTran.

And how about the StarTran driver that pulls his bus over on 27th and South next to the convience store and wanders inside, while his bus causes congestion and blocks traffic. Good lord, if I stopped my vehicle like that and wandered into the store, when I come out, SWAT would be swarming my vehicle.

It just proves a point, there are two sets of rules. One for the good citizens and one for the city employees. Double standards indeed! "

 this does not make sense wrote on July 18, 2008 9:17 am:
" They are encouraging people to ride busses to save energy but the Mayor wants to cut them? Reason I can't ride the bus now, West A is not workable for individuals with their work schedules. Where does this make any sense? There are too many that cannot drive and need transportation--what will they do??? "

 Katrina wrote on July 18, 2008 9:18 am:
" Lincoln has one of the worst public transportation systems I have ever seen. It does not offer transportation past a certain time every evening, leaving those who work the night shifts without transportation. I have lived in other cities where the bus was the best mode of transportation and it ran until 3 am and started up again at 4 am. The cost was more but it was utilized more. Bus passes were 50.00 a month and people could get all over the city at almost any time of day or night, making it feasible to keep the routes running. Instead of having the main hub for the bus in the downtown area, the bus service should make a central hub in the middle of Lincoln, such as 48th and O Streets and run every direction to all large factories. Heck, if they would put a route twice a day from downtown to Crete NE, I too would take the bus!!! "

 happygael wrote on July 18, 2008 9:30 am:
" Cut service? Why? Maybe they should cut all the public service vehicles ( pickups and automobiles) I see running around Lincoln all the time "

 Improvement wrote on July 18, 2008 10:23 am:
" You want to improve the bus system lower the fairs and provide park-an-rides like a lot of other cities do. Seems to me if you have more riders then you can talk about what the fare should be. If you cut the fare in half but double the ridership you break even as far as the bus system goes but you gain in the environment and congestion. Plus you wouldn't need half the garages that are not filled anyway, except football weekends. "

 idea wrote on July 18, 2008 10:28 am:
" why doesn't startran get smaller buses??? That would save money and save routes. "

 M wrote on July 18, 2008 10:29 am:
" I think those suggesting the Mayor and City Council take the bus for two weeks are on to something! "

 natefrog wrote on July 18, 2008 10:36 am:
" Most mass transit systems are not self-sustaining; why else do you think the private sector stays away from them? A question that doesn't seem to have been asked nor answered by the council is whether the economic benefits of a well-used public transportation system are enough to justify the taxpayer expense. In most cases, the benefits do justify the cost. Making more route changes and service time cuts is counterintuitive and will only exacerbate the problem. It is a great idea to have the council members ride the bus for a couple of weeks; they are out of touch with reality. "

 Brian wrote on July 18, 2008 10:38 am:
" I took the bus on the Arnold Heights route nearly every day while as a student at UNL. It was very helpful in saving gas and packed during the early morning and late afternoon hours. While I could afford a car, most people on the bus had to rely on this form of transportation to get to and from work, the doctors office, the grocery store, and other places. "

 Mark wrote on July 18, 2008 10:48 am:
" Hey Mr. Mayor and City Council memebers:
Are you hearing what's being said? Do you even care? We all know times are tough, so, be a leader and ask for your 1 cent property tax increase, raise the bus fares, and cut back on how often the busses run. There are other alternatives to keeping the mass transit system going without stopping all bus service. Many of the busses don't need to run as often, so scale back the route times but keep the busses running please. "

 Nic F wrote on July 18, 2008 11:23 am:
" Our public transportation is already a joke, and the mayor wants to make it worse? I personally don't use the bus system because in it's current state, it is pretty much worthless to me. However what the mayor wants to do is make it worse? You can't expect people to work if they can't get to work. They need to sit down and seriously look at what routes are actually used during the day. If a route is not used, or hardly used, go ahead and shut it down. If you find it's used on the weekends, make sure it's running then. If only one person uses a bus between 10am and 2pm, find out if they can find another means of transportation. Do some research here mayor...it's really not that hard. "

 me wrote on July 18, 2008 11:53 am:
" Buses are always empty anyhow. A few cuts won't hurt aything! "

 Better idea wrote on July 18, 2008 12:13 pm:
" Revamping the entire system is a much better idea. The current system worked when Hwy 2 was the outskirts of town and the Wal Mart at 27th & Superior was sitting all alone on the edge of town. All Star Tran has done is change existing routes, and at this point there is serious need for a change. Every bus going SouthPointe does not need to go downtown. It's stupid. Making a hub system where smaller buses or even vans travel within a hub, then larger buses travel between hubs is a much better idea. Just a thought Star Tran. You could save a lot of money this way. "

 J wrote on July 18, 2008 12:19 pm:
" To anyone saying to get smaller buses... there was an article awhile back that said that replacing the larger buses with smaller ones would create such a tiny difference in gas mileage that the cost of replacing them would by far outweigh any benefits, even stretch out far into the future.

I rode the bus with my previous job, but scheduling and locations don't permit with my current one. The bus that arrived downtown at 8am and left at 5pm were both always packed, but during the day it was sparse.

I hope the people who have no choice but to ride the bus win this battle and continue to have transportation available to them throughout the day. "

 Non-driver wrote on July 18, 2008 12:35 pm:
" Smaller buses may work during some time periods during the day, but the buses from 4pm on each day are generally full of people. I can't imagine trying to cram more people including mothers with young children and wheel chair bound individuals onto a smaller bus at those time periods.
The buses at 5pm have been especially full since the route changes because some routes are running slow and overlapping two departure times.
I agree with the person who suggested that local government officials take the bus for one week to get an accurate picture of the system. "

 I can... wrote on July 18, 2008 12:53 pm:
" ...find other employment but I don't think this is good for the citizens of Lincoln. Here's why: not only will a vulnerable population be severely negatively effected (very poor, disabled and elderly) but this will trickle down to other places of business. Between 10am and 2pm most people would not be able to go to HHS for thier services, housing, Dr's offices, etc. This will make the load on those agencies higher seeing as how most are open from 8-5, this would take 6 hours from thier schedule for a lot of the people they serve. The amount of cab voucher HHS issues to get elderly and disabled to thier Dr appointments will increase, which will be more spending too. "

 I can... correction wrote on July 18, 2008 12:59 pm:
" I meant take 4 hours from thier day at other agencies that thier clients cannot come in for appointments. "

 BS wrote on July 18, 2008 2:13 pm:
" I’ve read several comments concerning the proposed budget cuts with the most negative being from some who obviously drive and have never used the system. One of the biggest questions is about the empty buses. The thing to keep in mind is that most of the buses I’ve seen are usually at the end of the route. Those who are ride the bus or are at least familiar with the bus system know that this is usually the case. Passengers have usually gotten off the buses have gotten to their destinations, so the buses start to fill up once again when they’re going in-bound (going downtown).

I depend on the bus to get me where I need to go. It s a very handy mode of transportation because the other alternatives are the cab company or Transport Plus, both of which cost a small fortune and the cab service is often unreliable. I do believe the drivers do look out for us, so their opposition isn’t a bunch of “hooey.” Also, please look at the people you’d leave stranded downtown…it would be some of the population of Lincoln who elected you. "

 I agree wrote on July 18, 2008 2:15 pm:
" The mayor and the city council should ride the buss...maybe even for a whole month. Being blind, I won't go so far as to suggest they do it blindfolded, but they should just ride and find out the benefits of being a bus rider for themselves.

Heck, if Mr. Camp rides, I am sure we could find a way to provide him cigarettes and mountain dew free of charge...just so he can feel like he fits in. "

 Full Time Bus Rider wrote on July 18, 2008 4:24 pm:
" The drivers ARE speaking on our behalf. As someone who relies on the bus and doesn't own a car, I can vouch that the drivers DO care about their passengers and they DO look out for them. The drivers know first-hand how many people rely heavily on bus service and how it will affect them. What are we supposed to do about doctor appointments and shopping? You want the disabled, retired, and non-working folks to shop, run errands, and go to the doctor only in the early morning and late afternoon when traffic is the heaviest and stores are the busiest? The new bus routes have changed my travel time to the doctor from 20 minutes to an hour and a half EACH WAY. Try squeezing three hours of travel time PLUS the time at the doctor's office all within the times they are proposing to offer bus service! Thanks a lot, Mayor. Mr. Weise is right when he says "It just doesn’t make sense to expand the number who can ride for five and then not give them any service." "

 Bus_Rider_FT wrote on July 18, 2008 6:57 pm:
" This whole budget cut is totally missed up. It would make TOO much sense for the mayor and city council to treat the bus riders in Lincoln how they would like to be treated themselves. Hay Mr. Camp! Get a Mountian Dew and a cig and ride the bus. It may save you a few bucks and you'd be making it easier for people to breath from air pollution. Mayor, the voters WILL remember what you'll do when you make the final decision. "

 Noah wrote on July 19, 2008 8:27 am:
" I think that they need to be promoting rather than demoting the bus service. Like some other people have mentioned, there may be other departments that can use budget cuts first, and that the councilpeople should ride the bus too before they make these proposals.

Myself, I just started using the bus this summer to get myself to and from UNL (a 22-26 mile round-trip), since I didn't have a dorm to reside during my summer research program. I get a free bus pass for being a UNL student, and frankly I cannot believe that I NEVER took advantage of this opportunity during my previous 2 school years. Especially now, since I have a Dahon bike, it will fit in the bus when I fold it up, and so I only plan on using my car when absolutely necessary (or when the weather is bad).
Additionally, "a peeved citizen," I believe that 27th and South is a "time point" for that particular route. If a bus arrives to a time point early, it must wait there until the time of its arrival (according to the bus schedule) passes. "

 Adriannetypo fixed wrote on July 19, 2008 2:31 pm:
" Thank you very much to all the Star Trans Bus drivers who spoke up against the proposed cuts. Hope it helps. "

 Tod wrote on July 19, 2008 6:42 pm:
" I,too, rode the bus every day when I worked downtown. It was pretty handy. But, once I got a job outside of downtown, I couldn't justify the extra 2.5 hours transportation time it would cause. I've been an advocate for changing the routes for several years. Also, I agree that the large busses simply aren't needed. Couldn't they drive two smaller busses at high-volume times? "

 Beth wrote on July 28, 2008 11:52 pm:
" I've been riding the bus for 5 years now, to and from UNL city campus as well as basic commuting around town, and on a student pass and all through the day. The bus is crucial to my sanity (I hate traffic and construction!) and my budget. Every year, it gets more crowded, yes, even during the middle of the day. I was so excited when I heard the city was in the midst of their great big restructuring plan last year, and then so disappointed and angry when they implemented the new "improvements". It makes exactly no sense to me to limit service when anyone who actually rides the bus can see ridership is steadily increasing. Whether for gas prices, the environment, or disability, Lincoln's people need BETTER and SMARTER bus service - not less. This recent major restructuring did literally nothing to rectify the biggest failings of the system, and cutting service more will just add insult to injury. City officials, PLEASE ride the buses before you make any more changes!! And honestly, all of us who ride know people who WOULD ride if the buses ran later, or on Sunday, or anywhere near their house, of if it wouldn't take them 2 hours to get across town. The drivers take care of the riders - it's WAY safer than biking or walking for a young woman like me, and the buses are clean and air-conditioned (or heated in winter). The bus system needs to be fixed, not cut down. Tell everyone you know so we can all write letters to the mayor and go to the hearing!! Obviously, the city won't hear us (or see these comments) otherwise.
PS: Dear "a peeved citizen", have you ever had to go to the bathroom during your work day? Where would you rather the drivers relieve themselves during their 8 hour shifts? "

 tara wrote on August 8, 2008 11:14 am:
" I would like to see what the mayor would do if he had to walk from 10-2 because there was no transportation. A city as big as Lincoln needs to provide reliable service especially now to take care of its citizens. This strikes me as the mayor having no regard for those of us that rely on the bus to get around. These cuts are ridiculous. "

Ads by Yahoo!