More Data Needed to Judge New Routes
By SHELLEY HANSONArticle Photos
WHEELING - Ridership data from the first two weeks of new public bus runs to The Highlands and Moundsville is in.
The new service runs began June 15. Tom Hvizdos, Ohio Valley Regional Transportation Authority executive director, said during The Highlands' first week, the average number of passenger trips was 53, meaning there were 26-27 actual riders. For Moundsville's first week, the average number of passenger trips was 52, or about 26 actual riders.
The second week's numbers showed about a 45-percent decrease in ridership to both locations, he said. For example, The Highlands' passenger trips decreased to 29, or about 14-15 actual riders, and Moundsville's passenger trips decreased to 28, or 14 actual riders.
Hvizdos noted, however, that two weeks is not enough time to accurately judge the success of the new routes. More time will reveal a pattern.
"We expected to see some drop after the initial promotion," Hvizdos said. "You can't draw conclusions from two weeks' worth of data."
He noted the four runs through Blaine to the Ohio Valley Plaza near St. Clairsville averages 80 passenger trips, or 40 actual riders. During the first week of the new runs, the Ohio Valley Plaza ridership decreased. He attributed that decrease to people trying the new routes. He did not have data related to the second week's impact.
"People appear to be trying out other options," Hvizdos said, noting he hopes new customers are created because of the new routes.
"We're not replacing the automobile out there, but we're providing a good alternative," he said.
Hvizdos has spoke with Moundsville seniors wishing for additional service in their city. He said he's reminded people the service to Moundsville was meant to provide communities with existing bus levies new places to shop - not to provide complete service throughout the city.
"I've had a number of calls from the Moundsville area asking why can't the buses stop at the senior high rises. ... I told them to contact their City Council and ask for a levy," Hvizdos said. "Some said they would do that. Some say, 'Oh,' and hang up."
The new runs operate 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The next OVRTA board meeting is tentatively set for July 21.
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ewwhorton3
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07-03-09 10:51 PM
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lets keep the buses rolling we have fought hard to get it.now lets keep it.
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OhValleyGuy
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07-03-09 12:24 AM
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Part of me wonders if some of the people at OVRTA just wanted to give these new routes a trial run, simply because so many people were calling for them. Now that they tried them and if they fail, they can return bus service back to the way it was several weeks ago, and they don't need to continue receiving grief from peole asking for the new routes. If they tried them for a trial period and there was no interest, they can at least say they tried, it failed, now let's scrap the idea and move on...
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TruthinPolitics
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07-02-09 10:23 PM
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We just don't have the population in the area to support public transportation. Maybe when gasoline goes back to $5/gallon. Seniors will benefit from this service more than anyone else. I don't understand why the bus route doesn't stop at the senior high rises.
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PCGS70
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07-02-09 10:13 PM
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Where's MY fried chicken?
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Mountaineer4life
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07-02-09 9:57 PM
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BOXERBOY: Better read again, it's 14 passengers for the entire week. SAD, REAL SAD...........
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GoldenArm
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07-02-09 6:40 PM
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Yes, because EllisRacist has never benefited from any public service in his pathetic life. I suppose the irony would be lost on an idiot like him, if I were to explain that the internet was -gasp- a result of tax payer investment.
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EllisWyatt
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07-02-09 5:44 PM
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Health care, housing, education, food and, now, transportation are on the list if Things The Government Must Provide. What many of you seem to forget is that government does not have one dime that was not stolen from your paycheck. Since I actually pay taxes, my feeling is that, if you want a bus ride, health care, food, housing and an education, you can pay for it. What ever happened in this country? When did we turn Socialist? If a service & the people using it cannot support said service, it should cease to exist.
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boxerboy
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07-02-09 5:33 PM
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Mountaineer, it's average riders per trip, not per week.
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Mountaineer4life
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07-02-09 4:33 PM
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JEFFKIAS: Enforcing a law is not a crime, violating it is. BYE ACOUSTICPORTAL: That type of mind set is why companies go broke. You mean it's OK to spend $137,000 for 6 months service is OK as long as one person benifits? You have to be kidding. Buy the guy a car for 5K and that the end of it. We can not continue the mind set of WASTING tax dollars. You have to spend TAX dollars in a way that everyone will benifit in some fashion. 12 riders TOTAL in one week? That is not spending the peoples money wisely. Sorry. And for those who do not know, Moundsville is smart because they pay NOTHING for a bus to bring people into their city. They do NOT want the bus. If they did they would allow the people to vote on it. Those six elected councilmen will NOT put the levy on the ballot. THEY R THE SMART ONES. We need them to help OVORTA make finanicial decisions. They also need to give McMechen a few pointers on how to run a city CORRECTLY.
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Jeffkais25
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07-02-09 3:44 PM
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I don't think this route will ever be profitable, or even break even, but this isn't about making money. This is about providing transportation for consumers and employees to the highlands. Time will tell whether this bus line to the highlands is beneficial. As for the line to Moundsville, I hope Moundsville is paying for it. I would be willing to guess that more people travel from Moundsville to Wheeling each day then visa versa. Why don't they use the money they get from all the unnecessary tickets and speed trap busts they have down there.
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Mchaz2009
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07-02-09 9:57 AM
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So if you buy a car and drive it once then put it in your garage for a year would that be worth the expense. No!!
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clarrk
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07-02-09 9:54 AM
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Rather see them waste 1,000,000 here then send a billion to the banks,
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acousticportal
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07-02-09 8:53 AM
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Transportation is a basic necessity...it is not a waste of money at all. If only one person is able to utilize this service, it's well worth it. This isn't about profit, it's about a community providing a basic service of any modern community. Keep it going!
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EllisWyatt
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07-02-09 7:02 AM
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Of course ridership decreased in week 2. It will keep decreasing. Most of the people riding the busses in week 1 were politicians, local officials and their families. The level of ridership is not enough to justify the additional expense. Some towns voted for the levy with the understanding that they would get service every 1/2 hour. To go and change it on them, now, is akin to fraud. They may not have voted for the levy if the service was every hour.
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Mountaineer4life
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07-02-09 5:53 AM
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What a joke!! OK McMechen council where are all the riders you said wanted to ride this bus? This is the biggest waste of money I've seen in a long time. In one week there where 14 passengers!! Get real, stop this waste of tax payers money NOW. Good job Dave Kobasko, thank god for him resigning because his decisions would only make McMechen worse than it already is. I don't think you people know anything about fiscal responsibility. It's our money not your so spend it right. STOP THE BUS NOW, THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY!!
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