2008 Woodie Awards
"Keep on rollin" :
Bus program to continue running after trial period
Greg Grisolano
Issue date: 5/3/07 Section: Front Page
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Although its trial run is over, officials say they are planning to continue operating a fixed-route bus service in Pittsburg. Despite falling well short of their ridership goal during the pilot project for P.A.C.T. (Pittsburg Area Community Transportation), Steve Lohr says the program will continue for at least another month. "It's our intent to continue," said Lohr, executive director of Southeast Kansas Community Action Program, which operates the P.A.C.T. "We intend to underwrite it until such time as we secure other funding." Lohr says he is working on securing funding from state and federal agencies to help finance the program that has an estimated yearly budget of about $120,000. "Our primary focus over the next 30 days will be securing state and federal funding and match funds," he said. PSU funding One of those sources for funding could be Pittsburg State University, which has three stops along the PACT route: at the Kansas Technology Center, at Axe Library, and at Cleveland and Broadway. At his annual address for students on April 10, PSU President Tom Bryant says the university may step in to help fund the fledgling bus program. According to Steve Erwin, associate vice president for campus life and auxiliary services, the university is looking at ways to help fund the program. "We support the concept," he said. "We think it benefits the community at large and benefits our students. We know that to show support we'll probably have to come in with some of the matching funds." Some questions, such as where the money from PSU will come from, still need to be answered. Erwin did not rule out the possibility of using funds from the PSU Foundation or student fees to support the program. "Ultimately, I think that decision will have to come from the president," he said. "And I think it might be a combination of funds from existing areas that feel like they could draw the most benefit from it." Student ID pass If student fees were used to support the program, Erwin says he envisions a system where student ID cards would serve as bus passes. "I could even see a future where perhaps student fees, based on the students' choice to tax themselves, might be an element of it," he said, "in return for their student ID serving essentially as their bus passes." Erwin says he believes the program has long-term potential. "I think we have to take the view of how this will look down the road," he said. "Right now, in some ways it's very provisional. It's really the first worthy effort that's got us off the drawing board. If we don't nurture it, we'll never get to see what it might be." The four-month test program was underwritten by the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Housing Resource Commission for about $44,000. Two 20-passenger buses make up the P.A.C.T, which has an 18-stop, fixed route from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. A round trip takes an hour and 20 minutes. Stops include Wal-Mart, Meadowbrook Mall and the Pittsburg Industrial Park. Riders pay 50 cents per ride, or they can buy a month's pass for $20. The program started in January, and according to SEKCAP's web site, has given 3,255 rides through April 20. While rider numbers were low during the first month, Lohr says SEKCAP noticed an increase when students returned to PSU at the end of January. "We've had a lot of international student participation," he said. "That's where we noticed a boost - after students came back." Currently, the buses average 40 riders per day, well below the 100 riders per day Lohr hoped for back in January. Despite the shortfall, Lohr says he believes the program has been successful. "I think it's been successful because the partners we've worked with think it's successful," he said. "Everybody says it needs more time to grow." Lohr says he also plans to ask the Pittsburg City Commission to look at helping to fund the program. |
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