To the editor:

We don’t need two failed bus systems.

Karin Rexroad, the administrator for our failing T bus system, suggests we hire a $150,000 consultant to study a commuter bus system between Lawrence and Johnson County (Journal-World, Dec. 6). We need to rely on common sense, not another self-serving consultant’s study. The T (now known as the “Emp-T”) was destined to fail, and common sense tells us the proposed bus system will also fail.

The taxpayers subsidize about 95 percent of the T’s budget — over $1.5 million per year. Now we are being asked to subsidize another bus system to benefit, at the most, 150 Lawrence residents who commute to Johnson County jobs. These facts alone should cause any rational person to oppose both bus systems.

Moreover, even the estimate of 150 riders is unrealistic. Very few people will drive to downtown Lawrence, park their cars (at a fee), pay to ride a bus to Johnson County, make numerous stops in Johnson County, and hope that one of the stops is near their job. The additional time commuting each day, at least one hour, will, by itself, deter all but a few of these estimated 150 commuters from using the bus system.

Commissioner Boog Highberger supports this proposed bus system because he believes it will improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Highberger should be concerned about the taxpayers’ $1.5 million per year currently being spent to have eight empty buses drive around Lawrence all day.

Ed White,

Lawrence