by Carson Cornelius
Play the Story: Transit Task Force Meets to Discuss Bussing Situation
COLUMBIA – Hoping to fix a bus system that operated at a $1.5 million loss last year, a diverse committee met Tuesday to discuss solutions.
Mayor Bob McDavid, citizens, and student representatives from the University of Missouri, Stephens College, and Columbia College made up the task force. They proposed several solutions, including the redrawing of routes, restructuring of the transit board, and the extension of running hours. The committee also proposed raising student fees to purchase 40 new black and gold buses, and to help cover the costs of ridership.
McDavid said it was necessary to cater the system to students, since they make up 75 percent of riders. At the meeting, the committee cited student-centric problems like long wait times and inconvenient routes.
The only firm decision made was the placement of GPS tracking on all buses. The information will be available on the internet, and should be up and running by early 2012.
