Use of new bus route steady in first few weeks

~ The Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority plans to introduce a discount pass aimed at students.

Ridership on the new Cape Girardeau bus route has been steady at 300 to 350 riders a week, Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority director Jeff Brune said Thursday.

As the transit authority finishes its fourth week operating the bus service, Brune said riders are still discovering the program. The bus operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

"We feel it is just continuing to catch on," Brune said. "People are still coming in and saying they didn't know we had it, so we are explaining how it works, where it goes and stuff like that."

The authority will introduce a discount pass aimed at Southeast Missouri State University students, Brune said. The cost of the pass hasn't been established, he said, but it will be cheaper than the $35 monthly pass available to the public.

The bus route runs through downtown Cape Girardeau, loops south to the Cape Girardeau County Health Department on Linden Street and then travels west, hitting the major shopping and medical care locations out to Siemers Drive.

The 24-hour taxi service continues to receive a large volume of calls, Brune said. "There are days when we are just overwhelmed with requests. We are definitely having some growing pains."

The transit authority will soon begin using computer software provided by the Missouri Department of Transportation to track the speed of its on-demand taxi service and the on-time response for trips scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.

While riders have told the authority that the taxi arrives quickly and they get to their destinations on time, Brune said, the software program will provide figures establishing whether the praise is warranted.

The transit authority operates several types of door-to-door services for several agencies. One of the most difficult to explain to users is the need to set priorities for senior citizen services funded by the Area Agency on Aging.

The agency subsidizes seniors' rides to medical services and to buy food. They can ride without paying but are expected to make a donation to defray the costs.

Excessive use of the program in July forced changes in the way it is being offered, Brune said.

"Our biggest concern was people taking advantage of it -- for example, going to Wal-Mart five times a week for a few items when people need to rely on that program for dialysis treatments," Brune said.

After discussions with the seniors agency, Brune said, the transit authority has set the top priority for people needing life-saving treatments, such as dialysis. The next priority is for those making trips to see their doctor.

Third on the list will be rides seeking nutrition, such as for meals at senior centers or for grocery shopping, Brune said.

Overall, Brune said, the first month has been a grueling but rewarding lesson.

"We are not only training the public on our services and so forth, but we are still training the employees," Brune said. "We have had some growing pains."

For more information on the bus route or taxi services, call the transit authority at 335-5533.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126