Halfway through the six-month trial period of the mid-day express bus route, only 70 riders have used the service. The route, however, will continue to be funded in hopes of increasing the number of daily riders before March.
The mid-day express originally was established as a joint effort of the city of Athens and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce to provide convenient transit around town for people who work at Ohio University and the surrounding area and do not want to lose their parking spots during their lunch hour, said Larry Payne, president of the chamber.
People tell us 'I'd love to go shopping and to restaurants
but I don't want to leave my parking space ' Payne said.
Athens City Councilman Dale Tampke, D-at-large, said the funding for the bus system does not come out of the city's general fund, and tax dollars are not being used for the route. The mid-day express is funded by transit funds provided by a federal grant.
The route costs $1 for a 20-minute round trip Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It makes a circular trip from Court Street to Stimson Avenue, down Elliot and Mill streets, through campus on Stewart Street and South Green Drive, and finally going to Station and Union streets.
The route will cost close to $16,000 for the six-month trial period. This means that with only 70 riders during the last three months, each paying $1, riders have cost $113.29.
The mid-day express was given a six-month trial to give a thorough test of the route, Tampke said.
I'd like to see the trial go to the end and I think six months is a fair amount of time
he said.
As time goes by, Tampke said he is hopeful that the number of riders will increase when more people know about the buses and try to use them.
One of the factors affecting the number of riders might be that few people have heard about the bus route.
Samantha Shaw, an OU senior, said she has never heard of the bus route, but with no car or meal plan, she would ride it.
It'd be nice to get groceries once in a while
she said.
OU freshman Heather Sheets said she also has never heard of the mid-day express, even though she is from Athens.
Several Athens' businesses are along the bus route. Although some business owners support the route, they have not reported much increase in lunch customers.
Jon Sparhawk, owner of two restaurants along the route - The Oak Room, 14 Station St., and Toscano's, 4 Depot St. - said he is a supporter of the route. He said he thinks the mid-day express is a great service that has lacked the publicity to make it catch on in the city.
Bill Church, project manager of Athens Transit, said routes are normally run on a six-month basis.
We then survey to find out if it's worth maintaining
establishing another route
or even decide to can it
Church said.
Athens Transit runs three routes of regular buses and the Courtyard Shuttle in addition to the mid-day express, he said.
The Courtyard Shuttle averages 650-750 riders a day and the regular routes have an average of 120 riders per day.
Church said all the older routes have been established for at least three years, which means people are aware of them. The current number of riders is up because it is winter.
More people ride in winter because it's a chance for them to be warm
he said.
17
