By: Diane Benjamin
The below numbers are un-audited, but they do show an entire year’s worth of taxpayer abuse. Has anybody else noticed the bus windows are tinted darker now? I wonder if it’s an attempt to hide the emptiness?
Should we celebrate they lost $1.2 million less than budgeted?
Roads won’t be fixed because both cities are funding huge buses to destroy them!
PDF page 4:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rBEy8tbl_JZMdNZefdVnanzefQfpU3YO/view
In addition to Operating Funds, both cities also contributed to their capital account (new buses, construction, etc)
The loss for July is on PDF page 13 – <$878,847.50>
The previous page show checks written, consultants, consultants, consultants! Plus new buses.
PDF page 17 – Passengers (Boarders?) per hour were up slightly to 17.44 from 15.34 a year ago. Connect Mobility boardings decreased from 3.1 to 2.84.
PDF page 20 claims ridership is up. Keep in mind that passengers who change buses are counted twice.
PDF page 34 shows the new Board members. One is Monica Bullington who is married to the attorney representing Amber Buck. She also has done Marketing for the Chamber of Commerce. Also on the board is Julie Hile, a frequent Town of Normal consultant who wanted to use form based code to make Main street all look the same. Some of the old guard is back.
Compensation for Issac Thorne was on the agenda. We won’t know what increase he received until the minutes are published at the September meeting. His two-year objectives plan starts on page 64.
No, fiscal responsibility isn’t on the list.
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Ever been cut off by a Connect Transit bus? Or note that they sometimes intrude into the next lane to turn or straddle the line? I waiting for the day, they CAUSE an accident.
A lot of the roads are made with big enough turn lanes. Note Veterans turning west at Portillos. I believe grass is missing.
I’m still using it. Still think it’s an excellent public service. Still think it’s justified in this community. And I’m never on a bus alone, so they’re not empty. This my primary mode of transportation to get to my jobs and to church. Sunday bus service to my service was like a prayer answered!
Then those who use it should be the only one who pays for it. Let’s see how long that lasts as some us don’t feel the need to pay for your convenience. BTW…I see many more empty buses than those with riders. Obviously you don’t get out much and speak with very little “hands on” experience.
My taxes pay for things I don’t use, either. Things that are subsidized. I don’t golf, I don’t use the trail, I don’t use the airport. I don’t (and simply couldn’t or wouldn’t) drive on EVERY road built in Bloomington. I only frequent one park, meaning I’m paying for all kinds of people to use other parks. It’s all publicly subsidized. I’m waiting for you, Meidaghpst, to start paying for your road use. You use it. Are you going to pay for it? At least I’m paying a fare to get on the bus. Have a blessed day.
None so blind as those who will not see
@Serving—Motor Fuel Tax pays for the roads. Those who drive buy fuel and therefore pay for roads. Developers donate the parkland in the new subdivisions and property taxes paid by businesseses and homeowners pay to maintain all city parks. Golfers pay for the use of the courses which pays for the operating expenses. Compare that fiscal impact to Connect Transit…big difference.
17.44 riders per hour!!!!!
Think of all those buses running at any given time during the day. I am not sure how many total buses they have but these statistics would seem to indicate that it’s easily one rider or less per bus at any given time.
How do we transport the handicapped and the very poor around our cities? What is best for the riders, the environment, the roads and the taxpayers? Are there cheaper and more efficient ways to move people around? The answer is yes…. This bus system is not a solution… it is a problem needing a solution.
I find it hilarious that a church goer thinks it’s okay to cost taxpayers more than $800,000 a month to get her there.
It’s “hilarious” that people choose or have to choose public transit? Not a very Christian attitude, in my opinion. Are you willing to drive me? Is everyone on this blog willing to give a ride someone who needs to get to their job, or the doctor, or simply to meet friends? And the $800,000 isn’t just paying for me. That’s a gross mis-characterization. And for Lawrence451, WHAT are the cheaper ways to move people around. You say the answer is yes, but you don’t share the revelation. Speak, brother!
People at my church give rides to members. We also have an agreement with a local taxi company to pay for rides.
Serving Him maybe we could get a limo to haul you around since the taxpayers are paying $800,000 a month? Why should you have to ride in that big old lonely bus? We need to haul you around in style! Cheaper ways to haul you around: #1 Cab tokens purchased by the city and sold to the (poor, unable to drive, handicapped at a reduced rate), #2 Subsidized credits purchased on Uber or LYFT to use a private company to transport people, #3 Smaller public transport vehicles (small vans) that can move faster and be more efficient, #4 Buy a fleet of cars and hire drivers to transport people (public cab company). So Serving Him…. do you want some more ideas? Like I said before, I am not against helping moving the poor and handicapped and unable to drive around, I am just against the waste and the silliness of the current system. What is so hard about that for you to understand?
Hardened heart
CT does a poor job providing service for those living in the low income apartment towers near downtown. The buses don’t stop near enough to the building to make it easy for the elderly and handicapped to get to the bus stop, especially during the winter. The bus stops at Walmart are not handicap:elderly friendly either.
I wonder how much Connect has paid the Hile Group in consulting fees.
I seen one of them small Propane buses going down Airport the other day, and yes nobody on board. I also found myself reading the ads and not paying attention to other traffic ( not good ). I was wondering if anyone could buy advertising on the buses. They could turn it around on ‘OL Tari. Maybe run an ad listing how much these buses are costing.
Serving Him,,,who is that? Funny man, is like your words serve the trolling desires of the Rennerites. You know the man who has to ban himself from this site since he can’t control himself. Yeah man I’ll give you a ride. For 1/2 of that $12million dollars a year loss, where do you all want to go? Alaska? Switzerland? Peoria? Your local church? Or better yet I’ll buy you a recycled bicycle with lights and a horn and a basket on it so you’ll be safe and can go whenever you want to go. Yeah man, I got you. Just put your hands up in the air and show me the money! Can I get an A-men?
People in rural areas get around just fine of which depending upon which part of the country you may be are just as disadvantaged if not more so than those i the urban areas. What does Serving Tari have to say about that?