Clallam Transit faces more riders than ever -- as revenues dip
By Jim Casey, Peninsula Daily News
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Meanwhile, plans for both the bus and its riders go 'round and 'round with some results becoming public — all through the town — in September.
Clallam Transit System commissioners Monday received these mixed messages from their staff:
"My pretty solid guess is that's the biggest month we've ever had," he said.
"It's a little scary when you realize that July is generally the slowest month."
Commissioner Bryon Monohon said it will be "interesting" to see what ridership will be when students return to classes next month.
Plans will become public
A consultant to the system will deliver to administrators today his preliminary findings about what riders want and what Clallam Transit can afford today.
The proposals, still preliminary, will become public at the commissioners' annual budget workshop and retreat Sept. 24.
August sales taxes probably will see a back-to-school spending uptick, Collier said, but revenue probably will decline again in September.
The tax falloff for July was offset by cuts in spending, Collier said, but she doesn't expect expenses to keep dropping.
The falling revenue will make it hard to meet the desires of the rising ridership, Weed said, as more people choose the bus as a convenient, economical alternative to their personal vehicles.
Those desires include park-and-ride lots — which Weed said only careful cooperation with the state Department of Transportation and local governments can provide — and secure places for bicycle riders to park their bikes.
"Those are long-term fixes that are difficult to deal with in the short term," he said.
From bike to bus and back
More people are combining bus and bicycle for their daily commute, Weed said, and often fill the two or three bike racks on the fronts of buses.
A bus driver may allow cyclists to bring bikes on board if buses aren't full, he said, but such situations are rare in these days of increased ridership, he said.
In the meantime, Paratransit Services is transporting many more riders older than 80 who can use the door-to-door service whatever their physical abilities.
Those people now account for about half of the requested rides, said David McCoy, Paratransit general manager.
That's up from about 5 percent of riders 18 months ago.
Weed called the revenue vs. riders situation "an unusual twist" in Clallam Transit's plans, "but maybe it's a good thing."
For instance, had the system improved services a year ago, it would be hard pressed to continue them in a declining economy.
"We're going to make conservative changes based on our ability to pay for them five years down the road," he said.
In other action Monday, Clallam Transit commissioners:
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Reporter Jim Casey can be reached at 360-417-3538 or at jim.casey@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: August 18. 2008 9:00PM