By: Diane Benjamin
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OZVoMyplMDjMqjukW6YmbB7_BGsi_x2S/view
Connect Transit did not meet in December, so the January report includes data from November and December. Your wealth was redistributed in November to the tune of $921,258 – December was better, a mere $821,259. Just two months of empty buses cost you $1,742,517. Yes, that’s the tax subsidy needed to keep those buses running! Click on either of the below to enlarge:
November spending:
(LifeCIL is every month)
December spending:
PDF page 19
Fixed Route passengers per hour:
PDF page 22
Monthly Ridership:
November: 200,341 riders created an operating loss of $921,258 – $4.60 per rider.
December: 159,091 riders created an operating loss of $821,259 – $5.16 per rider.
PDF page 44:
One year objective:
Why do we need buses that are 50′ long if there is not enough people to fill them. Everyone knows buses come in all sizes. If we use smaller buses and enlarge the route that should save a lot of dollars. If this is a inconvenience to some Uber could take lot of people to their destination for $800000.
But then your money would not be funneled through a myriad of government employees’ sticky fingers.
You beat me to it, Ron! Subsidizing ridesharing (like Uber) would be much more efficient, more transparent, and less costly. But of course, the trough feeders in government will never allow this to happen.
Let’s first agree that the overwhelming majority of people riding on Connect Transit are doing so because they have no alternative, not because it’s a preferred method of transportation. The overwhelming majority of riders can’t drive due to disability or other reason, can’t afford to own a car or take a taxi/rideshare, and/or in some way can’t get from A to B on their own. Fine. Philosophically, I believe we should offer some means of transportation for the working poor and the most vulnerable in society. However, a vast network of large buses running on a fixed, one-size-fits-all schedule dictated by government is wasteful and illogical, especially in a community of this size. It would be far more efficient to subsidize ride sharing for those in need, rather than supporting a network of expensive buses that require constant maintenance, fuel, tracking, and administrative oversight (haha) that don’t answer to the end consumer or the market. Of course, this will never happen since the government cronies will not give up Connect Transit and turn it over to the private sector.
Exactly BN Deserves Better. It’s all about the crony system here. A bus system in a city like this is silly and massively wasteful. There are plenty of alternative ways to move our vulnerable populations around town. I just got back from driving here in town and there are some massive potholes out there awaiting the “hot patch” temporary fix. These buses are pounding our already bad roads into obstacle courses.
The Bloomington citizen pays merely 1.25/per month for Connect Transit to operate.
You forgot about all the Federal and State grants. Losing $800,000 or more a month is a lot more than $1.25
Holy Moly , It’d be cheaper to just give cab fare subsidies , with proof of need and non abuse ,, but even if everone got a free ride in cabs , it’d save money .
Just where does all of this money come from?
Local, state, federal
What a waste!
I also see roads that are empty. Not one car on them. Should we tear them up? More to your point, I see full buses around ISU all of the time. And I see full buses at Walmart. So…not empty. Fake news?
I bet you are talking about Veterans! Not a car in sight. Where are these empty roads? Dead ends?
Of course, students don’t pay to ride it, and guess where they go? Yep, Walmart.
It’s included in tuition at a discounted rate.
The empty roads are in Downtown.
Government at it’s conspicuous consumption BESTEST!
Does Tari or Koos ride the bus, or they still doing the bicycle mantra??
Arlington Texas (population 375000) tried a bus service pilot program for several years. They just dumped it for a ride sharing app (VIA). They have a large university too, and guess what they survive! There is no law that says we need to have this monstrosity in our town to be/stay viable.