Representatives from Lane Transit District appeared at an open meeting on campus Tuesday night to give students a broader view of the problems causing proposed route cuts that will affect them next year.
The meeting kicked off with a presentation by LTD board member Greg Evans, highlighting the issues facing the financially stretched transit district.
The heart of the problem is decreased revenue, creating a situation where LTD needs to serve more people with less money. LTD has seen a 35 percent increase in ridership in the last three years, Evans said.
LTD receives as much as 80 percent of its annual revenue from the payroll tax, and tough economic times mean it’s seeing a recession of payroll tax revenues. This situation doesn’t bode well in the face of such dramatic ridership increases.
These factors, in addition to a steadily rising demand for para-transit services, create a situation that LTD Service Planning Manager Will Mueller called “a perfect storm for us.”
To make matters worse, Mueller said, LTD wasn’t informed about the 400 new freshmen living in Stadium Park Apartments, so they weren’t able to factor them into their proposals until a few weeks into the term.
Evans said the routes being deleted travel to locations that can still be accessed through transfers and other lines, using the Breeze as an example. The Breeze, which currently runs between the University and Valley River Center with a stop at Eugene Station, is being deleted because those destinations can be reached using other routes.
Some students rely on the buses for more than just trips to and from home, however, as is the case with the University crew club. The club relies on route 92 to get to and from morning practice at Dexter Lake, but the current LTD proposal has route 92 being cut almost entirely.
The LTD representatives pushed students to get involved with the ASUO as well as local and state government. They suggested contacting local legislature and even sending letters to Rep. Peter DeFazio to make their voices heard.
“I just hope LTD communicates with us,” said University senior Diego Hernandez, who served on the ASUO Programs Finance Committee last year. “Students who are affected the most should be a part of the process.”
Mueller said the best way for students to get their opinions to LTD was via e-mail to [email protected].
He urged students to contact LTD as soon as possible, saying, “Things aren’t set in stone, but the concrete is beginning to set.”
[email protected]