Jennifer Irwin thinks public transportation makes a lot of sense.

“You cannot operate a car for $35 a month,” said Irwin, a StarTran bus rider. “You have to pay for parking, gas, oil, and heaven forbid something should break.”

Irwin, who rides the bus “practically daily,” went to one of two open houses Wednesday to learn about how proposed changes to StarTran bus routes and hours could affect public transportation in the city.

A yearlong study concluded that although Lincoln offers a lot of service, the buses aren’t used by its residents as much as in other similar cities.

Irwin says that’s because Lincoln routes, hours and frequency are not adequate.

“There is a need for public transportation in this town that’s ignored,” Irwin said. “Lincoln does not fold up and go to bed at 7 o’clock.”

People should not have to wait an hour to catch a bus, Irwin said.

StarTran driver John O’Brien said he thought the changes would reduce ridership.

“The biggest thing that bothers me is StarTran’s tendency to move around,” O’Brien said. “People who are visually impaired often buy houses on a (bus) route, then the route moves.

“We’ve got to take into account those people that need that service.”

The proposed changes would eliminate one of the bus routes near Joe Altman’s house. He is afraid he and his wife might have to sell their house.

Altman, who is blind, says there are a lot of people like him who depend on the bus daily.

“Blind folks and those who don’t drive choose places where they live based on where the transportation is,” said Altman, a cane travel instructor for the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Getting to work is another major issue for those who depend on bus routes, Altman said.

“Quite honestly, I’m worried about what they’re coming up with,” he said. “The worse the transportation system, the harder it is to get people employment.

“I suspect there will be blind folks losing jobs because of this — they won’t be able to get to work.”

Joe Campbell, who is visually impaired and uses the bus every day, said StarTran should be adding routes rather than cutting them.

And the city should consider adding routes on Sundays, he said.

“I’m grounded on Sunday,” Campbell said. “I have places to go and people to see, but I can’t get to them.”

Under the proposed changes, the buses would focus on areas that need service the most and stop going to low-ridership areas such as 70th Street and Pioneers Boulevard.

“The buses (may be) running more frequently, but what good will that do if they’re not servicing the people who need it?” Altman said. “Increasing gas prices, international terrorism supported by oil prices, global warming, congestion in cities, air pollution — all those things can be helped by public transportation.

“I really think that by cutting back, we’re not doing the right thing for our society,” Altman said.

Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com.