Bus system on a roll | Upgrades on schedule to boost ridership

The Tribune-Democrat

July 23, 2008 02:01 pm

— CamTran officials have been doing a lot of things right of late. Throw in the fact that high gasoline prices have workers rethinking their normal daily commutes and it all translates into increased bus ridership.
That’s good news for the always-struggling Cambria County mass-transit agency.
Even its timing is on schedule. CamTran last week unveiled $1.8 million in renovations at its downtown Transit Center, making the complex even more comfortable and more user-friendly.
That in itself should go a long way to luring riders. Cost, comfort and convenience are keys to any successful service.
Sharing in the credit is CamTran Director Rose Lucey-Noll, who delights in the fact that core ridership is up 16 percent over 2007 – 16,718 more passengers last month alone.
Noted agency spokeswoman Jill Nadorlik, “More people are getting the message.”
They certainly are. CamTran has much to offer.
The updated Transit Center includes a redesigned Bus Stop Shop, improved ventilation to reduce exhaust fumes and a global-positioning-system electronic schedule board that displays bus departure times adjusted in real time for any delays. The board has a button-activated audio schedule for the visually impaired.
Other initiatives have included:
Increased marketing efforts.
Adding a bicycle rack to the front of buses.
An adult all-day ride pass for $4.
Earlier operating hours for the agency-operated Inclined Plane.
The negative aspect of the transit center renovations, of course, is that they were funded by state, county and federal tax money. Mass-transit systems, whether bus, train or passenger jet, exist because of heavy doses of government subsidies. Without them, such systems contend they would not survive.
We’ll never know until and unless one day the tax infusion dries up.
In any case, despite rising fuel prices and questions of state and federal aid, CamTran’s $8.4 million operating budget for 2008-09 holds the line on fares and service levels.
We hope area folks will give CamTran a try. We believe they will be pleasantly surprised.