CVTD seeking public’s help to improve its service

Like other organizations the Cache Valley Transit District is trying to do more with less while at the same time ridership records are being set. General Manager Todd Beutler says for the first time in the district’s history a record 98 trips were made during one day in September. On KVNU’s Crosstalk show Tuesday, Beutler said the CVTD is working with independent consultants Somers-Jaramillo & Associates and NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates on a short range five year transit plan. There have been meetings with disabled groups, employer groups and surveys have been done. He says right now an online survey is going on. “We want both riders and non-riders to go to the website and fill out the survey,” Beutler said. That website is

<a href=”http://www.cvtdbusspeak.org/”>www.cvtdbusspeak.org</a>

. I encourage people to go and fill out that survey. That helps us a lot.” Beutler said the consultants will be analyzing the survey responses as well as the fare-free system that has been in place since the bus service started. “We’re asking them to look at things like what’s the cost to collect fare, what’s the cost for the infrastructure to put the fare in place, how would having the fare in place change the running times of the route,” Beutler explained. “One of the things we hear of most why people don’t ride the bus is it’s just not convenient. And I understand that. “We have short commutes here. But if we add a fare to the route it adds more time because people are having to pay that fare.” Beutler says what some people don’t realize is that the system is being funded by a sales tax increase that was overwhelmingly approved by voters not only in Logan but also in the other local cities that now have the service. Betler says for every dollar spent on public transit there is a six dollar return to the local economy. He says transit service increases mobility for both education and employment.

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