Peak Bus reports
record ridership
June trip total sets new monthly high
"This service is a model for other
rural resort communities facing the challenges of providing transit
alternatives."
— AMY OSTRANDER, Transit consultant
By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer
The Peak Bus, the Wood River Valley
commuter bus operated by Wood River Rideshare, in June recorded its highest
monthly ridership since its inception last year.
Finishing the month of June with a total
of 2,208 passenger trips, the bus exceeded its previous record high ridership by
200 passengers. The previous record was established in August 2002.
"June was the one year anniversary of the
Peak Bus, so it was quite appropriate that we reached a ridership milestone,"
said Beth Callister, executive director of Wood River Rideshare and manager of
Peak Bus.
"Throughout the winter months, when we
expected ridership to increase dramatically, ridership held at a steady rate.
Summer is clearly the most popular time to ride."
Don Myers, the main driver of the Peak
Bus, said he is "seeing more and more new faces, not just kids, but riders of
all ages and using the bus for different reasons."
Peak Bus operators this week said the
ridership and revenue figures for the program’s first year "demonstrate the high
potential for the Wood River Valley’s start-up community transit service."
The Peak Bus farebox ratio—revenue per
passenger trip divided by cost per passenger trip—is 34 percent, 14 percent
above the 20 percent national average for transit programs, Wood River Rideshare
reported.
Amy Ostrander, a consultant who conducted
the transit portion of the 2001 Blaine County Public Transportation Feasibility
Study, said the Peak Bus is meeting general expectations for a start-up transit
service.
"Ridership is building and riders are
supporting the service through the purchase of bus passes," Ostrander said.
"This service is a model for other rural resort communities facing the
challenges of providing transit alternatives."
The average annual cost to drive from
Hailey to Ketchum is $2,750, based on cost per mile estimates from the American
Automobile Association, Wood River Rideshare reported. Season passes on the
commuter bus can be purchased for $200.
Despite the reported success of the Peak
Bus—which receives financial support from city and county agencies—one Sun
Valley official last week was critical of the program.
City Councilman Kevin Laird on Thursday,
July 17, called the Peak Bus project a "runaway bureaucracy," before suggesting
that the city reconsider allocating in its 2003-2004 budget $20,000 for the
program.
However, an opposing majority of council
members determined that the funds should, for the time being, be included in the
city’s draft budget.