THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 9, 1996 TAG: 9610090382
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 55 lines
The Eastern Shore's sprawling, rural countryside became linked with public transit this week when Shore Transit and Rideshare (STAR) put two mini-buses on the road between Cape Charles and Chincoteague on Monday.
While public transit is not generally part of a bucolic landscape, ridership on the first day exceeded expectations with nearly as many passengers as were projected for the entire month. Sixteen people rode the new system Monday while 20 had been projected for the month.
``I'm just as tickled as I can be,'' said George Goodrow, public transit manager. ``I thought we'd run most of the month with empty vehicles, as it takes time to build a new service.''
STAR Transit is a demonstration project funded primarily by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. The state covered 95 percent of the $230,000 in start-up costs, which included purchasing two 13-passenger buses, hiring drivers and staff, and funding operational expenses.
The counties of Northampton and Accomack, as well as a number of Eastern Shore towns, picked up the rest of the tab.
Goodrow predicts the money will run out about June 1997. He hopes to find added funding to continue the service beyond next June. By then, Goodrow predicts ridership will be up to 300 to 400 trips per month.
STAR Transit hopes to reach the large number of poor families and elderly that live on the Eastern Shore but who are isolated from employment, shopping and medical services because of a lack of transportation.
``Northampton County is a very poor county,'' said Betsy Mapp, a county commissioner who is also vice chair of the Accomack Northampton Transportation District Commission and chair of STAR's operations committee.
``A lot of our citizens are scraping by,'' she said. ``Having a car is a major expense.''
Studies show that 17 percent of the Eastern Shore's residents live below the poverty level. That is double the state average. The region also has one of the state's lowest ratios of cars per person.
Mapp said that with welfare reform requiring recipients to work, a public transit system was needed to transport newly employed people to their jobs.
The Eastern Shore also has an older than average population, with 21 percent of residents age 45 to 64 and 19 percent over 65.
``We know some of them probably should not be driving, but they haven't had much choice,'' Mapp said. ``Now they can ride on air-conditioned buses to their doctors appointments.''
Mapp also hopes the bus system will aid in economic development. Northampton County is developing a new industrial park at Cape Charles.
The buses also connect with many government facilities, including the county courthouses, social services and the Department of Motor Vehicles.
STAR Transit runs buses from Cape Charles to Chincoteague, primarily along U.S. Route 13. Three round-trips are scheduled daily, Monday through Friday.
Fares range from $1 for shorter trips to $4 for the entire 72-mile route.
``We wanted to keep the fares as affordable as possible to get people used to riding a public transportation system,'' Goodrow said. by CNB