Public transportation irks Flagstaff riders
Blaine Hubbard - April 3rd, 2008The public transportation system in Flagstaff is facing some important changes in the upcoming elections and residents are showing a variety of concerns for the future of the Mountain Line bus service.
Proposition 401, the most critical of the five propositions that would affect the public transit system, would require no tax rate increase and would extend the existing bus service for 10 years. The city transit sales tax, which was approved by voters in 2000, would continue until June 2020 instead of ending in June 2010.
If the proposition does not pass, the city transit sales tax would end as scheduled and the Mountain Line services would be substantially reduced or eliminated altogether.
Jeff Meilbeck, general manager of Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA), said community members who do not ride the bus are just as concerned about the future of Mountain Line as people who do use the services.
“The public transit system is an important part of the community’s infrastructure,” Meilbeck said. “Just like the education system, even those who do not use the services directly are affected by its presence.”
Kat Nichols, a senior art history and journalism major, rides Mountain Line every day and likes the idea of switching from diesel to hybrid even with the tax increase.
“As not thrilled as I am about paying extra money, I would do it if it meant replacing the diesel with hybrid buses,” Nichols said. “There are two hybrid buses in use right now and I have to say they are the nicest buses to ride. They are larger, they have more space and I am always a fan of the hybrid.”
Hybrid buses use about 40 percent less fuel, produce fewer emissions and are about 50 percent quieter than the diesel buses. However, they cost about $540,000 each, which amounts to approximately $200,000 more than the diesel buses.
Nichols said she took a recent survey wherein she stated the existing busing frequency is not as good as it could be.
“I base my entire life around the bus schedule,” Nichols said. “So if there are fewer buses, that really limits what I can do in a day.”
Marisa Seutocka works for Residence Life and Marshall’s and also rides the bus to get from her home on the east side of town to work every day. She is concerned that if services are stopped or reduced, she would be forced to walk.
“I think they provide adequate service, but I also think that they lack in customer service,” Seutocka said. “Although they are a public service, they still have to keep customers as a priority.”
Both Nichols and Seutocka plan on voting in May and believe more frequent services and later hours would be beneficial for the public transportation service.
Brittney Beckhum, a student at Flagstaff High School, only rides the bus a couple of times each month but believes the services are necessary to the community.
“I use the bus to get home if I cannot find a ride,” Beckhum said. “If the service stops I will have to start walking or take a cab.”
Beckhum thinks the Mountain Line frequency should increase and introduce more hybrid buses, but even though she does not pay taxes, she said her parents probably do not want to have to pay for more frequent bus service.