Press
Riders Provide Feedback on Schuyler County Transit
December 29, 2011
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Schuyler County Transit makes every effort to provide the best
quality transportation service. To better understand who its riders
are and why they ride the bus, Schuyler County Transit launched its
“I ride the bus because” survey in November 2011. Thirty-four riders
responded to the survey and shared their varied reasons for choosing
to ride the bus.
“The results are positive,” Schuyler County Mobility Manager, Amber
Simmons said. Simmons reported that half of respondents indicated
that riding the bus was their primary mode of transportation because
they did not own or could not drive a vehicle.
About thirty-percent of riders replied that riding the bus was a safe way to get around in the cold weather, a more convenient alternative than walking, or was preferable to asking family or friends for a ride. A few riders reported that although they owned a vehicle, public transit was their first choice for transportation while their vehicle was inoperative. But it’s clear that Schuyler County isn’t using transit just because it’s another way to get around - it’s becoming a preferred choice to get around.
Twenty-five percent of responses remarked that Schuyler County Transit was a convenient and affordable mode of transportation.
“It is a convenient and economical way for me to get back and forth to work and run errands,” said Dawn Dobson of Watkins Glen. Dobson is just one of the many who are indicating that public transportation is enabling them to get to work within Schuyler County, according to Simmons. In addition, riders are reporting that they are using Schuyler County Transit to get to medical appointments and stores, and to visit friends. Public transportation seems to be improving people’s level of mobility.
Furthermore, transit is enabling people to get where they need to go even when they have “no family or friend to take them”, as one rider commented. That means that seniors, people with disabilities and those without traditional means of transportation can create their own daily schedules. Surveys seem to indicate that even without someone to drive them, riders aren’t lacking for good company on the bus.
According to Simmons, about thirty-five percent of respondents commented on the friendliness and professionalism of Schuyler County Transit drivers. One rider stated in his survey, “The drivers are always friendly and a joy to ride with.” “We’re pleased that so many people in Schuyler County are benefitting from using public transportation, enjoying the system, and communicating with us about what they would like to see for transit in the future,” said Simmons. “A quarter of our riders who took the survey indicated a desire for expanded routes, extended hours, or bus shelters.
As the Schuyler County Coordinated Transportation Committee continues to meet and we discuss how Schuyler County Transit can best benefit people in our county, these survey results can help in considering these requests and help us complement our transportation service to best meet riders’ needs.”