There are plenty of ways the city and Kansas University could combine forces to run a single public transit system, a new report has found.
Now the question becomes whether the two groups trust each other enough to do so.
"A lot of this is going to come down to whether the city and the university can work together," said Cliff Galante, administrator for the city's public transit system, the T. "What I've learned about this community is sometimes those two groups get along really well, and sometimes it is a strained relationship."
Consultants who are in the process of conducting a $150,000 study for KU and the city presented preliminary findings Monday. The report listed several ways the city could merge its public transit system with the student-operated KU on Wheels system and the new university-run park-and-ride system.
Among the merger scenarios:
¢ Combine the two systems and have it operated by either the city or the university's parking and transportation office.
¢ Create a new joint public transportation policy board that would oversee the system but would report to KU and the City Commission.
¢ Create a new public transit authority that actually could be its own taxing entity and would have complete control over the new system.
Danny Kaiser, assistant director of parking and transit for KU, said he thought all the options would get strong consideration, although he said creating a new transit authority probably would not be feasible in the short term.
"I don't know what will be chosen, but I do know that there is a high level of interest both on the part of the university and the city to do something significantly different than what we do today," he said.
KU student leaders, though, will play a major role in any change. The KU on Wheels system, which has a ridership that is more than double the city's system, is run entirely by a student organization.
Dan Boyle, lead consultant on the project, said his conversations with student leaders have indicated that they want to be careful about giving up too much control over public transportation options because students are the largest users of public transit in the community.
"The students are concerned about what happens to their control," Boyle said. "They really do care about the system."
A potential upside to consolidation for students could be that all students would be given unlimited access to the combined public transit system in exchange for a student fee that is paid by all KU students. A combined system also would make it more likely for new buses to be bought to serve the campus.
Some KU students who attended a meeting about the report at City Hall Monday afternoon said they were in favor of a combined system.
"I think it would make it much more efficient," said Eric Anderson, a KU graduate student. "But eventually, everybody is going to have to make a leap of faith because everybody is going to lose a little bit of control."
Boyle said his San Diego-based consulting firm would have the final report that would recommend changes to the systems available in November.
Another meeting about the issue will be at 4 p.m. today at the Kansas Union.
Comments
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fletch (anonymous) says…
It doesn't matter how good the final service will be, students should not give up control of their bus system, nor should the University be pressuring them. KU on Wheels is the only student owned bus system left. It's what makes us stand out. It's a concept we fully own, often to a degree that we don't notice it. But it's a heritage that is passed down, a bond between generations of KU students to stay unified through thick and thin. To sell that away is cheap and disrepectful to the future generations of KU students.
Sigmund (anonymous) says…
The University should continue to run its system independent of the City for two reasons. First, the KU system is both needed and used and second because the MT City system is neither of those. It is easy to understand why. The KU systems focus is to get students to a central point, campus, and then back, but the MT does not have the same central hub. Further, parking on campus is expensive and extremely limited which further encourages students to use the bus.
The MT will only drag KUs system down to the tune of a hundred grand a month and students will be the losers. This is little more than a transparent attempt by the PLC Kommissioners to dump a loser system on students and get them to pick up the tab.
KS (anonymous) says…
Sounds like the city is trying to get rid of the "MT". Watch out KU. I agree with previous postings. Sudents, keep control of your own bus system. The cost of running the combined system can only go one way, UP!
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
I see Sigmund is up and kneejerking early today.
The problem with the city transit system is limited service. It takes too long to travel anywhere with that limited service, and since it ends at 8 pm and doesn't run at all on Sundays, most of those with an alternative choose not to use it.
Combining the systems is a win-win situation for both KU students and the rest of the residents of the city. The critical mass of increased ridership would allow a greatly expanded system, and students would get access to a system that would allow them to travel anywhere in the city, not just to the university and a few apartment complexes.
sprango (anonymous) says…
Are students' lives so devoid of control that they must retain a redundant transportation system so they can look in the mirror each morning and say, "I own a bus system!"?
I'm a KU student who doesn't ride KU on Wheels. I can't afford the dollar-a-ride price tag, the semester passes are too expensive, and the system doesn't go where I want to go. (Why do I have to transfer at College Drive to get downtown? Am I the only one going there?)
Agnostick (anonymous) says…
Anybody ever been to Ames, Iowa? One bus line handles all the traffic for the Ames "metro"... public schools... and Iowa State University.
http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/Research/...
http://www.dot.state.ia.us/morgue/new...
Pretty impressive system. Oh, and it works.
Agnostick
agnostick@excite.com
alm77 (anonymous) says…
Agnos, yes, it is impressive. Two of my close friends used to drive for them and they constantly complain about the Lawrence system.
Sigmund, my family of 5 depends on the T. As do several other citizens in this town. We sold our second car, which reduced our insurance premiums and gas costs. Not to mention maintenance and repairs. It was worth the cost of a monthly bus pass for my husband to get to work and back.
I'm nervous about the merger. I've always thought a more convenient system would increase ridership. Waiting 40 minutes between buses is too long. But at the same time, would the routes only suit a certain demographic (i.e. students)?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"But at the same time, would the routes only suit a certain demographic (i.e. students)?"
The university is very close to the geographic center of the city, and students need get around the whole city, too, so I don't think that serving that demographic would detract much from serving everyone else.
pilch (anonymous) says…
This is all so silly. The KU Athletic Department should run them all.
ThomasJefferson (anonymous) says…
By merging the two systems, the duplication of routes can be eliminated and an economy of scale will be gained. The main problem is the old KU on Wheels buses run by the Lawrence Bus Company are not handicapped accessible. If federal dollars are involved, which will be the case in a merger, the buses will have to be replaced and thus the bus company is likely to lose its contract.
The "T" does need to increase the frequency of buses run on certain routes. With a merger there will be more resources for doing this. This will boost total ridership. It is my understanding that Iowa State and Ames have a unified system which works extremely well.
Danimal (anonymous) says…
As someone who rode the KU buses everyday last year and has ridden the T a grand total of 1 day because I don't have an hour to sit around and wait for a transfer, I think the systems should remain independent. KU on Wheels is a highly efficient organization with a legacy of providing reliable, inexpensive and efficient service. It's easy to use with simple schedules. The T is the complete opposite of KU on Wheels. Except for a couple of routes the schedules are rediculously complicated with every line having different intervals between busses. With the T its a necessity to carry a schedule with you at all times not to find out when in the next half hour the bus is coming, but if it's coming at all. Under no circumstances should the students turn over a system they've been effectively running for decades to a broken and disfunctional organization.
Danimal (anonymous) says…
I agree with pilch, let Lew Perkins run the system. A ride on the bus will cost $5, and you'll need to make a donation to the Williams Fund if you want a window seat. Oh, and kids pay too.
alm77 (anonymous) says…
Danimal, I think you have a point.
The ideal situation of the two merging would be an integrated system with the best features from both systems. KU's system would contribute a better scheduling system with more frequent rides and the T would contribute a larger area covered with nicer buses and lower fares. Ideally, we could have the best of both worlds, but it's reality that makes me nervous. \
The_Twelve (anonymous) says…
Thanks for the plug, Agnostick.
And while you are all at it, take a look at the University of Iowa's system as well. That's one university and two--count 'em--two, city systems that work together!
KS (anonymous) says…
KU is best to stay away from the "MT" Who is going to pay for any deficits?
KS (anonymous) says…
The_Twelve - Do you know if the U of Iowa system loses money? If it does, who picks up the deficit? The City or the University? If it makes a profit, where does that money go? Just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good on the bottom line! Breaking even would be good.
monkeyhawk (anonymous) says…
I actually saw two people on the MT today. I have never seen that many before.