Public Transportation Committee Meeting

Discussion of decisions regarding bus routes and the upcoming year

Morgan+Fuerstenberg+graphic

Morgan Fuerstenberg graphic

On Thursday, Oct. 28, the Platteville Public Transportation Committee met to discuss possible changes for the upcoming year. The recent de- clines in ridership for the public buses have left committee members with decisions to make within the coming months. These hard decisions relate to possible changes to commuter fares, overall budgeting and changes in routes.

Partway through the meeting, multiple members suggested an equal increase of commuter fares by 50 cents for regular adults, seniors and minors, but free access for university students would remain available. Following these suggestions, two members mention a concern that an increase in fare pricing may cause a heavier financial strain on senior and low-income riders.

Another suggestion was brought up that a voucher be available to low-income riders if needed.

Ryan Uberfluss, a sophomore at UW-Platteville who does not gener- ally use the Platteville Public Transportation System feels that “there are better ways they could be raising money.”

Another topic brought to attention during the meeting was overall budgeting concerns. Due to the decrease in rider-ship the budget has been affected substantially.

One idea that was presented to counteract the budget hit was imple- menting peak hour pricing when traffic is heavier. The city liaison agreed but plans to check with the Department of Transportation about the idea’s legality and feasibility.

Another idea pitched regarding an increase in revenue is to make a survey and communicate with riders and drivers to identify their needs. Alex Kopischke, a junior at UW-Platteville who regularly uses The

Platteville Public Transportation system, was asked for his opinion on the peak pricing method. He stated, “I think as for the city and its revenue this peak pricing plan seems reasonable, but as for the public effect from it, I’m not sure. There may be a decrease in riders and public outcry from possible confusion between fare pricing and the overall unbalance of pricing as well.”

Lastly, the topic of bus routing was brought up at the meeting. There have already been changes within the bus routing recently due to a lack of available bus drivers, which has led to the discontinuation of the Green Route.

The PPTC continue to search for more bus drivers so they can reinstate the Green Route. The goal for the next meeting is to gather survey information to further understand their consumers’ needs.

They also wish to talk about further changes needed for the 2022 budget. The organization’s long-term goal as a whole is to continue hav- ing efficient and effective public transportation throughout Platteville for anyone to use. Currently, the next meeting date has not been determined. Readers can check the Platteville community calendar for any updates and details.