Future of Hernando bus service in question
Thursday, March 27, 2008

HERNANDO COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Hernando County officials are conducting a survey on whether on not the county should keep its bus service in light of looming budget cuts.

County commissioners decided to approve about $20,000 to pay for a survey to gather information about the bus and who ride it.

The buses aren't used by the masses but the people who use it depend on it.

Ty Avola uses the bus just about everyday.

He said if the county needs to cut back on service he'd be okay but if they get rid of it he'd be in trouble.

"For me it's a life saver," Avola said. "It takes me to the doctors. It takes me to the grocery stores. Basically to where I need to be going."

The survey will take place through the month of April. The results are expected to be presented to the county commission sometime in May.

Money to pay for the survey will come from federal transportation funds.

Currently, the county spends about $600,000 a year on the bus.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/3/27/335510.html?title=Future+of+Hernando+bus+service+in+question+

I'll say this. I think they should examine all the routes to see which ones get used frequently and those that do not. If there is a route that sees less than five passengers a week, then eliminate that route. I know Hernando is still largely rural, so the amount of ridership is probably relatively low.

Prudent advise Walter. I am never for discontinuing transit service unless it is absolutely necessary. $600,000 a year is really not bad for a county bus service According to their website they only started service in 2002 and had an average of 215 per day, in January of 2005 they had an average ridership of 625, there are no newer numbers on the website, but I suppose the study will report on that.

THE Bus (Hernando Transportation):
http://www.hernandobus.com/index.htm

Steve

The future of Hernando County's bus system is uncertain
Thursday, June 26, 2008

HERNANDO COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Hernando County's only form of public transportation may soon be the latest casualty of the slowing economy.

Plagued by shrinking budgets and tough economic times, county officials are trying to decide the future of THE (The Hernando Express) Bus.

One of the ways they used to gauge the need for the bus system is through a recent survey, which tried to find out how many people in the county use THE Bus and why people ride it.

The questionnaire found that 84 percent of riders on the bus system can't drive, and that more than 30 percent of those people use it to get to work.

"It's essential to us," said Rosemary Sonnenberg, who has been riding THE Bus for six years. "We have doctors visits. We have shopping to do. We have no cars. We have a lot of people that are handicapped on the bus."

One idea officials have floated is bringing in more funding for the transportation system by putting advertising on the buses.

They are also looking at a possible door-to-door van service as an alternative to the current bus system. The van service would cost about $250,000 to operate in the first year.

A decision about the future of THE Bus could come sometime next month.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/6/26/360219.html?title=The+future+of+Hernando+County's+bus+system+is+uncertain