TRANSPORTATION, COUNTY SEEKS SOLUTIONS

For most residents of Cape Girardeau County, getting from here to there is taken for granted, thanks to widespread automobile ownership. But there is a sizable segment of the county's residents that must rely on other means of transportation for a variety of reasons: They don't feel safe driving any more, their eyesight is failing, they can't afford a car or they are physically limited.

More than two years ago it was patently apparent that a lot of money, much of it taxpayer dollars, was being spent on special transportation programs for this group and that group, but a lot of folks were still complaining about the lack of affordable and accessible public transportation.

So the Cape Girardeau County Commission authorized a study to be made by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission. Recently, the study's findings were released, and they offer some interesting insights.

For example:

-- More than $1 million dollars is being spent each year in the county for public transportation.

-- And there are more than 40 vehicles currently in service, ranging from specially equipped vans to buses that can accommodate several passengers.

In spite of the cost and the number of vehicles, however, it is still difficult for many carless residents to get rides to doctors' appointment, to buy groceries or to attend church and social functions. This is because most of the money and vehicles belong to special-interest groups, and there is little coordination and virtually no overlap in services.

This means many of the vehicles sit idle at times rather than meeting the needs of those who say they can't find dependable transportation when they need it.

To that end, the County Commission has appointed a committee to coordinate some of the regional planning commission's findings and to look for ways to better utilize existing funding and services to reach more people. That is a commendable goal, particularly if the starting point is a recognition that fairly adequate transportation services probably could be offered without any increase -- possibly even more cost-effectively -- in taxpayer funding.

The committee's task isn't easy, but it is certainly worthwhile. The County Commission is to be congratulated for initiating this process and for its oversight as work continues toward better transportation for the county's residents.

It also is good to see that the study's recommendations come from a good measure of common sense. A demand-response system -- one where someone needing a ride calls a dispatcher -- rather than a fixed-route system -- one where someone needing a ride goes to a predetermined stop at a predetermined time -- makes far more sense and is likely to provide more satisfactory service.