Some residents who depend on bus 64 are not happy that the route is on the chopping block:
The people who ride Route 64 said it’s a necessity. So as word gets around that the route may be cut, riders in the Acres Home community have plenty to say.
“I ride seven days a week,” a troubled rider said.
“We are tax paying citizens out here and we need 64,” said Miller X, bus rider.
Shirley Scott has depended on the public bus system most of her life. She uses the 64 for weekly doctor visits. “Be big trouble. I’d be in big trouble if I lose the 64 because I have a hard time getting to the hospital as it is,” she said.
Metro said the route is on the chopping block because ridership is low. In October there were 762 daily riders, but Metro said 815 are needed to make the route affordable.
Do Metro officials know how foolish they look? The route is 53 riders short per day and Metro is ready to end it. That’s from the transit authority that gave us “Metro Solutions,” which promised (among other things) 50% more bus service. Yet, we continue to hear of bus routes being eliminated because the per rider-subsidy is too high.
(What’s the per rider-subsidy for the light rail? Why doesn’t Metro end the honor system for the train and actually concentrate on fare collecting? Why must we continue to subsidize train riders, but not bus riders who truly NEED the transportation?)
“We need the service,” said Beatrice Kyes, bus rider. “But they say it’s not enough people riding here. I can see it’s not a whole lot of people riding it, but we still need the service.”
The 64 is one of Metro’s lifeline routes, which means it passes by important facilities like schools and clinics.
“It is definitely a lifeline. You know, this is the life of our community,” said a concerned citizen.
Metro said a final decision has not been made yet, but it will come soon. They said right now they are trying to come up with alternatives. Route 64, Metro said, is one of seven routes across the city that could be cut.
Metro officials haven’t listened in the past when bus riders protested a route that was being cancelled, and the 7.5 miles of downtown light rail aren’t going to help the people who depend on the 64.
Nice going, Metro.
