EDITORIAL: Bus service must be regional

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| Friday, November 21, 2008 | (14 comment(s))

It's unfortunate that the tussle over control of the many bus services in Northwest Indiana continues. Instead, it is time officials involved step back, look at the big picture, then make decisions that will serve the common good in Northwest Indiana.

Much of the discussion about the Regional Bus Authority focuses on the takeover of the three urban bus systems - Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. Those cities would gladly jettison those financial burdens.

Hammond has even threatened to end service in June.

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority wants the three urban bus systems taken over by the RBA no later than June 30.

But the RBA must also take over the remaining bus services in both Lake and Porter counties in order to become truly regional.

Crown Point-based Northwest Indiana Community Action has announced it plans to end service in January for lack of funding. The agency is the largest provider of demand-response service in Lake County. This is a service that is genuinely needed.

NWICA also created a central dispatch service for the RBA.

North Township Trustee Frank Mrvan said the township's Dial-A-Ride service will end its contract with NWICA for dispatch services.

Mrvan said the township will resume dispatching buses "in-house" as he pursues other means to enhance the township's service.

The Dial-A-Ride service has expanded beyond the township's boundaries of Hammond, East Chicago, Whiting, Munster and Highland.

Mrvan, like other government officials eager to shed costs, hopes the Regional Bus Authority creates a regional system to help move people throughout the county and the region.

The RDA voted 6-0 this month to direct the RBA to take over the demand-response services in Lake County and all public bus services in Porter County "as expeditiously as practical."

That requires the Indiana General Assembly to provide a permanent funding source for the RBA and expand its authority. This must happen.

Having one bus authority will provide a more organized, better connected regional bus system than the individual bus systems that often don't link or with schedules that don't match up.

A truly regional bus system should also lead to savings for taxpayers.

Legislators and officials of the varied bus systems must get on board with this idea. It is time to think how best to provide bus service throughout the region.

Your opinion, please
Should all bus services in Lake and Porter counties be under the Regional Bus Authority's control?
Share your thoughts at http://nwi.com/opinion

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Bus Rider wrote on Nov 21, 2008 9:42 PM:

" One program we could eliminate? That's easy. War. Our Wars of Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan; our Terror War against Drug users at home and abroad. Stop the wars and we'll have tons of money. "

GRBarkley wrote on Nov 21, 2008 7:21 PM:

" I would like to ask "Taxpayer" a question. When does the tax burden become too much? You want the South Shore extension, which means more local income taxes to fund an operating deficit and construction. You want adult education, which means more taxes to fund an alternate education system, you want the RBA, which means a higher local income tax (only in Porter County) to fund a deficit ridden bus system with few riders. When does it all becomes too much. I am very serious. At what amount are taxes too much. Please give us a number, 3.5% of our income, 5% of our income, 10% of our income or 100% of our income? Better yet, how about naming some government function you would eliminate to help pay for all you want. Just name one, name one job that should be eliminated, one agency, one program. We are waiting. "

GRBarkley wrote on Nov 21, 2008 3:47 PM:

" When the Times talks "Regional" this is code for raising taxes on the citizens of Porter County to pay for services that primarily benefit Lake County and its cities.

The RBA will be another money sucking bureaucracy that will benefit the very few at the cost to mainly. However, be assured that the RBA Administrators (those with political connections to get appointed) will be richly rewarded with healthy salaries, free healthcare and generous retirement benefits. All paid for by the taxpayers. Get this straight, the RBA will always lose money. The cost of the RBA will always increase (see previous Administrators) and therefore taxes will increase every year to fund this worthless program. "

TAX PAYER wrote on Nov 21, 2008 3:41 PM:

" Prediction: Regional fixed route bus service starts for all of Lake and Porter Counties with supporting paratransit services and some demand response by or before June 2009. Demand response will only cover areas not covered by fixed route and paratransit operations i.e. nowhere North Lake County or Valparaiso. Fixed route hours of operation 4:00am to midnight 7 days a week in all areas. 8:00 to 5:00 demand response Monday to Friday with two weeks advance notice. County Option Income Tax, food and beverage tax, and the RDA provides the local match for state and federal funds. "

Bus Rider wrote on Nov 21, 2008 12:36 PM:

" You can whine and moan all you want, but we WILL get our regional bus service. That's just the way it is, folks. We need affordable transportation; it is an essential service that we can not live without. Our government officials understand this and there is no other viable alternative. So you can jump on the big bus or get run over by it - take your pick. "

Bob wrote on Nov 21, 2008 11:22 AM:

" If there was a demand for a bus service, you wouldn’t need to subsidize it. Find out how many people actually ride the bus and then see what it cost per ride. "

on-demand service wrote on Nov 21, 2008 10:06 AM:

" I think fixed route bus service is a waste in NW Indiana. The better approach is to consolidate ALL the authorities providing service, consolidate their assets and their routes and use technology to efficiently route door-to-door on-demand service to those who need it. No more standing out in the cold, no more walking to a bus stop, no more empty buses... provide service when it's needed, to those who need it, where they need it. You'll then be able to precisely account for the funds and the use of the service. "

RDA RBA is a farce wrote on Nov 21, 2008 8:46 AM:

" I am finally glad that the whole RDA RBA has been exposed for the money grabbing farce that it is. All it ever was intended to do was steal money from the Gaming Boat Cities and redistribute it to non Gaming Boat communities. Name ONE RDA project Hammond has gotten for its 10 million (thats MILLION) dollar investment. Give Hammond BACK its 10 million and it can use it to run and improve the bus system. "

Numbers wrote on Nov 21, 2008 8:12 AM:

" Lets get the number of how many people actually ride. Think it will show cost does not cover the need. "

Joe Average wrote on Nov 21, 2008 8:11 AM:

" There's a lot of money in poverty folks. I've been saying that for years.
You think for one second that the "leaders" of the cities along the lake are going to give up any part of their feifdoms, your misguided at best.
The only way to solv ethis will be to have the mayors and their cronies on the board of directors for the new RBA and the position to pay them $20 grand or so plus a car that they can have their wife and kids drive sinc ethey already have city or county cars or both.
On the other side, the suburbs are struck in panic that "those people" may have easy access to their towns.
It's dead, stick a fork in it. Even if you save it, it will die soon thereafter anyway. "

Wet Hen wrote on Nov 21, 2008 7:35 AM:

" Again you appear to have it wrong.
The officials in this area are very territorial and not subject to cooperate with each other even if it for a common good.
Maybe the gov could stick his nose into this problem like he did on assessments, air and water pollution control, tax rates,and schooling. "

But how to pay wrote on Nov 21, 2008 6:33 AM:

" Nice editorial times! How do you want to pay for all this? Taxing by county for what really only has a significant impact on 3 cities is unfair. Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago pay for bus service, as they should. Why should people in Hobart, Dyer, and Crown Point pay taxes for Gary bus service? Face it, the cities have to live within a budget. "

Are you kidding wrote on Nov 21, 2008 5:42 AM:

" East Chicago would not want to give up their FREE federally subsidized program and all the patronage that comes along with that.

That's Pabey's interpretation of "good government". "

JustDucky wrote on Nov 21, 2008 4:48 AM:

" Yes...I've never witnessed on any given day, any given time, on any bus but one or two passengers in the Hammond area.

This, over the past few years, I've observed and wondered how those buses even justified the expense for so few passengers. "

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