THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 2, 1996 TAG: 9607030018
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 34 lines
While driving through Norfolk during one of the recent, very-hot days, I had to follow a TRT bus for several blocks. I noticed that it passed several (almost all) bus stops without discharging or embarking any passengers. When it reached Ward's Corner, the driver simply pulled into the right lane and stopped (with the engine running). After several minutes, I finally surmised that the bus was not waiting for passengers or for a light to change. I think the bus was ahead of schedule and was just ``sitting'' and waiting for its schedule to catch up to it (with engine and air conditioning running).
I've since seen several buses doing the same thing in that and other locations. I also notice that the buses are rarely occupied by more than a handful of passengers (regardless of the time of the day).
I do not know what type of ridership statistics are kept or used to justify keeping these noisy, traffic-congesting, exhaust-belching behemoths on the streets, but I would guess that without significant subsidies from the city/state/ federal governments, they would not be running as inefficiently as they are. Of course, that is the taxpayers' money and it is in endless supply, so who cares how it is squandered?
I have a suggestion. Let's sell or mothball most of the big bus fleet and buy or lease a fleet of stretch limousines. From what I've observed, these limos could handle the ridership on most routes most of the time, and in a more cost-effective manner. The big buses could be used for high-ridership routes or for special events - Harborfest, for instance - if TRT ever decided to support it with a park-and-ride service like it used to do.
DON VTIPIL
Norfolk, June 19, 1996 by CNB