Standing Room Only For First Moundsville Bus Run
By JIM COCHRANArticle Photos
McMECHEN - It was standing room only for McMechen bus passengers traveling to Moundsville on Monday - the first public transit service to the Marshall County community in more than 31 years.
Meanwhile, a new Highlands route also began Monday with six passengers seen on a bus arriving at the Ohio County shopping area at about 10:30 a.m. The Highlands bus will operate eight hours a day, between 8:15 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Round trip is 90 minutes.
The Highlands route starts at the Capitol Music Hall and makes stops at 16th and Market streets, Glenwood, Edgington Lane, Elm Grove, Wal-Mart, Old Navy, Target and Cabela's before heading back to Wheeling.
The Moundsville bus left from the Capitol Music Hall at 8:15 a.m., with 12 passengers and by the time the bus departed McMechen it had 30 passengers, six of whom had to stand because there were no more seats available.
After making a stop at Reynolds Memorial Hospital in Glen Dale, the next drop-off point was at Moundsville Wal-Mart which proved to be the most popular destination as 17 people got off there. Thirteen of those passengers headed to Wal-Mart while four others were seen walking toward the adjacent Burger King.
The next stop was at the Busy Beaver Plaza where six individuals got off the bus. The bus continued to TeleTech Drive in south Moundsville, and stopped at the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, before stopping in front of the Moundsville Food and Drug for what was slated to be a 10-minute layover.
However, for this maiden voyage it became a six-minute stop as the bus arrived four minutes late.
Thomas Hvizdos, OVRTA executive director, who also rode the bus, was very pleased not only that it was standing room only, but also that the bus was able to make the run and only be four minutes behind schedule.
Among those taking a round-trip bus ride were McMechen Council members Penny Goodwin, who is now the city's representative on the OVRTA board; Charlie Pyle, former councilman and former OVRTA; board member Dave Kobasko; and longtime city resident George Bilich.
Kobasko, who served on council from 2002 until just recently when he was appointed as the city's fire chief, said he and the others rode the bus in support of the effort to bring back bus service to Glen Dale and McMechen.
Kobasko said he was a substitute bus driver for OVRTA in 2004 and 2005, and that when he drove the McMechen to Warwood route, many residents, mainly senior citizens, questioned him about why the bus didn't go to Glen Dale and Moundsville. It was because of this he asked the mayor of the city of McMechen, (first Kenny Robbins and then Paul Maxwell) who served on the OVRTA board to try and have bus service extended. When current Mayor Mike Gracik assumed office, he appointed Kobasko to the board, and he continued his efforts to provide bus service southward beyond McMechen.
Kobasko said he is hopeful that the residents of these two cities will pass levies to keep bus service to these communities, noting that it would be very beneficial financially, especially to Moundsville.
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TimSWV
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06-17-09 10:07 AM
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mountainer4life. My point was that yes McMechen pays less but also recieves less service (both in miles and time) and pays accordingly (btw I do ride too). Benwood residents are the ones who filled up the busses to go SOUTH.... Either way at least people including you now have more options as to where they are able to go.
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EllisWyatt
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06-16-09 9:37 PM
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"School may be out for the summer, but the short bus still runs!"
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Mountaineer4life
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06-16-09 7:02 PM
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I am truly disappointed in Councilman Charles Pyle and his wife. They have NEVER, EVER rode a city bus in their lives. But today they decide to ride the bus. The FULL bus was a weeks long group effort to have these people on the bus. This will be the FIRST and LAST time it will be full!!!
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Mountaineer4life
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06-16-09 7:00 PM
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TimSWV: You have NO idea what you are talking about. First off your city (McMechen) pays the least amount of any city ($26K). So you are NOT paying your fair share. Secondly the bus travels further north than Benwood. See it travels to places like Wheeling, Warwood, Bethlehem and many other places who PAY for this service. So you can not continue to use the excuss that a few of Benwood's stores closed so the bus now needs to go to Moundsville. When those stores were in their prime the bus was still EMPTY. Trust me, I ride it!! The only thing us property owners who pay the tax want is a fair shake. If Moundsville and Glen Dale want our business they need to pay for the service. McMechen Councilwoman Penny Goodwin voted in FAVOR of supporting this move but she rents, she pays no tax to OVORTA. Actually, she lives outside the City limits of McMechen and still serves on city council. Why are you people allowing this?
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TimSWV
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06-16-09 6:10 PM
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It is great to see that OVRTA has the good sense to go where the people want to go. YES the people who pay thier share on the levys WANT to go to places with BUISNESSES not the dead zone of Benwood. "truthseeker ?" Since when does people spending mony in a town NOT benefit the WHOLE town ?? City "coffers" = $$$ to improve things in Moundsville.
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Mountaineer4life
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06-16-09 10:07 AM
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Dave Kobasko....If in 2004-2005 many of tose riders were asking you why the bus didn't go to Moundsville and Glen Dale then why did you OPPOSE that bus route at a meeting in 2005? In 2005 this issue came up and Dave Kobasko did OPPOSE this issue at an official OVORTA meeting. WHY? Why did you not respect your peoples wishes then? What has changed? This bus service was a good idea then and it is a good idea now! the only problem is who is going to pay for it? RESPONSIBILITY people!! This is public tax money not be spent correctly. Stay tuned because their will be financial problems at OVORTA AGAIN, just like a couple years back. Lets all hope Moundsville and Glen Dale allow their people to vote on the levy. Dave Kobasko should be ashamed!!
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Mountaineer4life
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06-16-09 10:00 AM
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Well what a surprise. Don't get used to this full bus. as I look at this picture I see many of the McMechen council members, their wifes and friends. These same people have their own cars and it is most likely the FIRST time and LAST time they will every ride a city bus. Don't get to excited OVORTA or McMechen officials!!!
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rover1958
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06-16-09 9:52 AM
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First, find out where these riders are actually going in Moundsville. If nearly all are heading to Wal-Mart....seems more cost effective for Moundsville Wal-Mart to charter a 'short bus' to run from Benwood/McMechen maybe every three hours from 7AM to 4PM daily.
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GETACLUE
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06-16-09 7:18 AM
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Why would you pass a levie when you get the service for FREE????
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TheRealityPolice
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06-16-09 7:18 AM
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That photos needs captions - there could be some good ones!
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TruthSeeker
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06-16-09 2:02 AM
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Oh, yes. Financially beneficial to Moundsville. How about beneficial to the whole city of people who happen to live in Moundsville not just the City coffers? I don't see the buses as being beneficial to anyone except those 30 or so odd people riding that bus! Why would a city residents pass a levy to benefit McMechen? So the Wal-Mart and Kroger will get a few more dollars? Or the DMV? Or Busy Beaver? The bus riders won't make much a difference in any store's bottom line. This is not a reason to pass another tax/fee on to Moundsville taxpayers.
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