By GARY DEMUTH

Salina Journal

In the three months Salina CityGo buses have been in operation, an average of 300 riders per weekday have climbed aboard.

On Saturdays, it's just less than 200.

And it's not just senior citizens, the disabled or people without vehicles or driver's licenses riding buses.

A growing number of Salina workers, tired of early morning traffic jams, are choosing to leave their cars in the garage and let someone else drive them to their jobs.

Riding the bus not only helps reduce stress and save wear and tear on the car, it's also good for the environment, said John Flanagan, fixed-route team leader for the CityGo fixed-route transit service, which operates from the OCCK Transportation Center, 340 N. Santa Fe.

"It's a 12- to 15-mile round trip from the north end to the south end of town, and that can be expensive, especially with a car that eats gas," he said.

For $1 a ride, $2 for an all-day pass or $30 for a monthly pass, riders can cut fuel and vehicle maintenance costs, ease their stress levels, and help the environment by reducing the number of cars on the streets and cutting consumption of fossil fuels.

Go Green!

To bring more awareness to helping the environment, Flanagan said, the smoke-free buses are painted green with "Go Green!" painted on the side.

"It not only gets people's attention, but it makes them realize that if they use the buses, there will be less pollution," he said.

The bus service, which began Dec. 1, is run through a partnership with OCCK, the city of Salina, the Kansas Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Transportation.

There currently are six buses traveling along three city routes that cover about 65 percent of Salina. Buses run from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

During peak weekday hours of 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., the six buses service more than 115 designated stops every 30 minutes.

Although the exact number of workers who ride the bus daily has not yet been determined, Flanagan said there are a number of working people at the north end of town who ride the bus regularly.

"There were people there who had trouble getting from the north end to the south end of town, to Walmart or to work at Tony's Pizza," he said. "Now with a Kohl's store opening at the south end, we should attract even more riders. The stores are happy we're getting people down there."

Flanagan would like to see even more buses and bus routes made available in the 35 percent of the city not covered, but "that depends on our financing."

The city of Salina currently pays 30 percent of operating costs, with KDOT providing the other 70 percent, mostly from federal transportation dollars.

It's good; could be better

Pat Wallerius, chief financial officer at OCCK, said that while the number of bus riders has exceeded expectations, more can be done to attract new riders.

"We need to find out who's not riding it," he said. "I don't think we're doing a good job of marketing the buses to kids, because we're not getting a lot of kids at all. They don't seem to know much about it."

Wallerius would like to develop a better marketing plan to help convince people that public transportation is meant for everyone, not just those who can't afford or can't use private transportation.

If nothing else, he said, people need to be more aware that riding the bus is good for the environment.

"That's why we developed the green theme," he said. "If people are concerned about the environment, it gives them a reason to ride the bus and cut down on traffic in the city."

Tom Mulhern, director of the Saline County Commission on Aging, has heard positive feedback from seniors who have ridden buses to the Salina Senior Center, 245 N. Ninth. While several have transportation needs, others have told him they are riding buses out of a concern for the environment.

'Has to become a habit'

Mulhern hope more people, and just not seniors, choose to take advantage of the bus.

"It has to become a habit," Mulhern said. "If the environmental issue doesn't change their minds, then maybe the economical issue will, especially if gas goes up to $4 a gallon again."

The new bus system has been advantageous for clients of Saline County Community Corrections. Many of these formerly incarcerated men don't have regular access to transportation to get them to jobs, said Annie Grevas, director of community corrections.

"A lot of them come out of prison without employment, medical assistance or transportation," she said. "We may have to put them up in housing and offer transportation -- if not the bus, then cabs and bicycles."

Up to 25 percent of Community Corrections clients now regularly ride or have ridden buses at least once since the bus routes went into operation last December.

While most clients pay for bus rides themselves, Grevas said, Community Corrections has purchased several $30 bus passes for clients in need. The goal, she said, is to provide those who need assistance with regular transportation to new jobs, which in the long run is cheaper than paying for a month of cab rides.

"We need to do whatever we can to help these clients be successful in the community," she said.

Grevas said a reliable bus system has been needed in Salina for a long time.

"Our staff has ridden the buses and given good reports on them," she said. "They're clean and pleasant to be on, and riding them is good for the environment. I'd like to see more of them."

nReporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by e-mail at gdemuth@salina.com.

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