Tracy… Yes, I’m also seeing more riders this year. And re: the bus Catch 22, I’m thinking effective public transportation will have to run as a tax-supported service and not a business.

Conceptual ideas have been discussed at a high level for a couple of years now about forming some sort of regional transit authority to overhaul and operate the current bus system. If that should ever occur, one of the facets of it would be bus routes from Springfield’s bedroom communities into town, and then expanded routes in town to more efficiently distribute those riders to where they need to go. The kicker is that funding is obviously going to be a major hurdle to be overcome, and I think I remember that there will need to be multiple elections to allow the restructure to occur.

Until that happens, CU will continue to run Springfield’s transit system. Unfortunately, there is a catch-22 that needs to be dealt with. First, ridership and the going rates ($1.10 for an adult fare) don’t even begin to cover existing operating expenses, let alone provide for any kind of an expansion of service. Secondly, running the minimalistic routes that are in place now makes the service unattractive to prospective riders who have any other option at all to get around town. Let’s face it, a three hour trip across town is not something that most of us will tolerate.

The point can be made that the transit service is basically being run as a public service for those individuals in Springfield who don’t have any other option for getting to the places they need to be.

On a more positive note, I did see three other bike commuters besides myself this morning, so some of us are still riding even though winter is approaching and gas prices have gone down!

Traffic is fascinating. When I started reading it, I had to put it right back down and run to the store for a highlighter.