LJWorld.com / Commuter bus plan would connect Lawrence to Kansas University Medical Center

Archive for Wednesday, July 23, 2008

By Mark Vierthaler

July 23, 2008

Proposed fares for a bus from Kansas University’s Lawrence campus to the Medical Center:

• $4.50 for a one-way ride if fewer than 10 trips are purchased.

• $4 for a one-way ride if 10 or more trips are purchased

• $160 to purchase 40 rides (4 weeks of round trips)

Source: KU School of Engineering

Call it a sign of the times.

Kansas University’s School of Engineering, department of mechanical engineering and bioengineering graduate program have teamed up to test the waters of a new commuter bus.

The bus trial, which would provide a direct ride from the Lawrence campus to the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., is pending approval from university officials.

Ron Dougherty, chairman of mechanical engineering, helped spearhead the trial. He said the idea for the bus came as the School of Engineering had more and more dealings with the School of Medicine both through research and academics. With more students and faculty commuting and gas prices rising, some raised the idea of a commuter bus similar to the Lawrence-Johnson County K-10 line, which links Lawrence with the Edwards Campus and Johnson County Community College.

Unlike the K-10 bus, which receives federal funding, the bus that Dougherty’s department had proposed would have to fund itself. That means a certain amount of riders would have to use it regularly for it to be feasible.

Dougherty said he received verbal approval Wednesday morning that the trial run would go through; however, he warned that nothing was set in stone until he received the official nod.

“We wanted to get the word out so people who might be interested would know it was coming up,” he said. “If we waited too long to get the word out, we were afraid no one would know of it.”

Dougherty said initial interest had been largely positive.

Sarah Kieweg, assistant professor specializing in biofluids who works with a collaborator in Kansas City, said she would support a regular bus between the two campuses. Not only would a bus allow her to leave her car in Lawrence for her husband to use, she said, but she would also be able to work during the ride.

The trial run would have only one run to and from Kansas City in the morning and one in the evening. Dougherty said they would like to increase the number of busses and runs if the trial proves successful.

The bus is expected to run Sept. 2-26, pending administration approval. Anyone willing to pay the bus fare would be eligible to ride.

Discussion

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23 July 2008 at 4:35 p.m.

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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…

How much? This is perfect to get from Lawrence to Downtown Kansas City and the Plaza.
23 July 2008 at 4:53 p.m.

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mvierth (mvierth) says…

We have a breakbox with the prices, but just to get it up here:
$4.50 for a one-way ride if fewer that 10 trips are purchased.
$4 for a one-way ride if 10 or more trips are purchased.
$160 to purchase 40 rides (Four weeks of round trips).

These are tentative, keep in mind.
23 July 2008 at 6:38 p.m.

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KUgirl1118 (Anonymous) says…

When will we find out if this passes? I would begin riding the bus to my internship at KU Med the day that it starts!
23 July 2008 at 7:06 p.m.

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1029 (Anonymous) says…

There needs to be a better deal for the multi-ride pass. Maybe a month pass for $125 (having nothing to do with the number of times one rides during that month). I would think whoever is investing in this bus would love to have a guaranteed $125 coming in each month.
I'd take it every weekday if it was $125 each month, but $8 a day is barely less than what I pay for gas and I-70 tolls each day. I'll sacrifice the wear and tear on my car and enjoy the faster commute if I only save a buck or two a day.
23 July 2008 at 7:12 p.m.

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tangential_reasoners_anonymous (Anonymous) says…

Reminds me of the days when a carful of strangers would lease a lemon and make the hop to Wichita!

“Sarah Kieweg, an assistant professor specializing in biofluids….”

Marion… looks like a match made in heaven!
23 July 2008 at 7:21 p.m.

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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…

Could someone just pay the fare daily? Again, this would be an excellent way to get Downtown to Kansas City and the Plaza for the day.In fact,it might be an inexpensive way to get to KCI. Take this bus and then the city bus to a hotel and airport shuttle from there to KCI. Lawrence has no shuttle to KCI that is affordable.
23 July 2008 at 7:30 p.m.

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KUgirl1118 (Anonymous) says…

I agree that $125/month sounds like a much better deal.
23 July 2008 at 8:21 p.m.

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workinghard (Anonymous) says…

About time
24 July 2008 at 11:09 a.m.

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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…

So how much is this ride going to cost?
24 July 2008 at 11:22 a.m.

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mvierth (mvierth) says…

Hawk —

If you look down the left rail, the tentative prices are listed there.

— Mark
24 July 2008 at 11:23 a.m.

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earth2la (Anonymous) says…

The price may seem high, but remember folks: it is just a trial study which has to support itself. IF the route is permanently established, the price may not be as high.
If this route would benefit you, please participate in the 30-day trial… even though the ticket price isn't as cheap as we'd all like. More than likely, you will still save money.

Seriously interested riders may send an e-mail to:
ku-kumcbusinfo@ku.edu to be placed on an e-mail distribution list to receive more information about the trial such as the website (which be active in a few days) and how to purchase the Commuter Pass.

Rockchalk! Jayhawk! KU!
24 July 2008 at 11:55 a.m.

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curiosityandthecat (Anonymous) says…

Awesome!!!
24 July 2008 at 12:28 p.m.

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Bowhunter99 (Anonymous) says…

A the bus that would have to fund itself. That means a certain amount of riders would have to use it regularly for it to be feasible. <– And the demand is there. Fantastic.

Perhaps the mT crowd can take a hint…
24 July 2008 at 12:31 p.m.

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taucetiman (Anonymous) says…

Please please please make this happen. I am KUMC student and round trip for me cost $15, even carpooling with one other is still expensive. Just in my program their are four people who live in Lawrence and I see the KUMC parking strickers on cars here in Lawrence all the time.

They had a trial bus run last fall for only a week(gas 2.75ish) but few people rode it. It made two round trips in the morning and two in the evening with nothing in between, a couple of run around lunch time would be great (if you had a class from 9am to 11am on Fridays you wouldn't want to wait until 5:30 to go home)
24 July 2008 at 12:31 p.m.

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skootermonkey (Anonymous) says…

I live near KU Med Center but work on the Lawrence campus. Taking the bus from KU Med Center would cost me $8 a day with the purchase of a pass but would only take me one hour to get to Lawrence. Taking the K-10 costs me $7 a day (gas plus bus) but it ends up taking me 1 1/2 hours to get to work.

My biggest issue will be time. What time will the bus be running?
24 July 2008 at 2:01 p.m.

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none2 (Anonymous) says…

Wouldn't it make more sense to have a bus from the Edwards Campus to the KU Med Center? Simply have people from Lawrence take the K-10 corridor bus to Edwards, then hop on some new Edwards route to KU Med Center.

What I don't understand about the JO which could be a logical candidate for an Edwards to KU Med Center route is why so many of their routes seem so incomplete. There is a lack of comprehensive east-west routes. For instance, there is a direct route to the KU Med Center from 95th & Null Park & Ride. It goes to downtown and goes right by the Med Center. However, there is no other bus routes that get to 95th an Null. the K-10 Connector just dead-ends at Edwards Campus.

Below is a link to their PDF route that shows all their routes.

http://www.thejo.com/pdf/JCTSystemMap.pd…
24 July 2008 at 2:02 p.m.

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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…

Ok, so if 10 trips are purchased the total would be $40.00. How long are the “trip” coupons good for? And what does the article mean when it says at the beginning that the service would run Sept 2-26. Does it stop after the 26th? What kind of reporting is this anyway.

So, without a 10 ride “pass”, the fare would be $4.50 one way or $9.00 rd trip. That is cheaper than driving and again a good way to get the to Plaza for lunch and then to the Nelson gallery. The schedule is the important thing.
24 July 2008 at 2:15 p.m.

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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…

Bowhunter, the mT would need to start raising the fare, something the commission refuses to do. The minimum fare on the T without a pass should be $1.00 and children under 12 , 50cents. But nevermind, the sales tax issue will pass and the fare prices will become a mute point for the T.

The bus to the med center might very well become a good way for more people to commute to Kansas City for jobs. Take the med center bus and then have co workers pick you up and off to work , they go.

For $40 for 10 trips, I would say that is a bargain to go to Kansas City for the day. Get off at the med center, hop on the bus on 39th st, head east to main and south to the Plaza. Nelson Gallery, lunch and back to Lawrence.
24 July 2008 at 2:23 p.m.

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McShindig (Anonymous) says…

Woah, dude. Before you start rippin on the reporting, did you not see if was a trial run? Which would imply that being a “trial” it would only run that chunk o time.
24 July 2008 at 2:27 p.m.

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tinlizzy (Anonymous) says…

hawkperchedatriverfront- the fare on the T is already $1.
24 July 2008 at 4:11 p.m.

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none2 (Anonymous) says…

Something doesn't make sense to me. How can $4.00 or $4.50 cover a trip that is at least 40 miles + the turnpike fee for a bus + the salary of the driver pay for itself? Do they really think the bus will be loaded with that many people? If such a long distance bus only costs $4.00. I could see why T people would wonder why the T isn't profitable at $1.00. I seriously doubt that one's T ride is 10 miles.
24 July 2008 at 5:29 p.m.

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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…

tin lizzy, no it isn't senior T fares are 50 cents ,student fares 50 cents..I say raise it.There is no senior fare on the ku bus..so with the 'merger' there is no merger of equal fares. the reporting is lame with regard to the trial run. don't talk about a “trial' run without the details of the run
24 July 2008 at 6 p.m.

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outsideobserver (Anonymous) says…

hawkperchedatriverfront needs to understand the meaning of the word “trial” as it is used in the article. The word trial is used three separate times. In this case the use of the word would imply that these bus plans are in their preliminary stages and therefore subject to change to fit the needs of the yet unhatched program. If the reporters start to compose their stories in a form that will make sense to hawkperchedatriverfront the remainder of the readers are apt to feel that they are being talked down to.
28 July 2008 at 11:38 a.m.

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earth2la (Anonymous) says…

Thanks for all the blog commentary! It is great to see all the interest. Please submit e-mail to ku-kumcbusinfo@ku.edu to be put on a distribution list for more information as it becomes available…

Important facts for all to consider:
—This is a trial study only — if everything can be negotiated and approved between the contracting bus company and KU. The trial is NOT approved yet!!
—The trial study must support itself financially. Hence the prices quoted are tentative. They may go up a bit more to support the cost of a 4-week trial period. That does not mean the price will remain the same SHOULD the route be established permanently.
—The sole purpose of the trial is to determine the level of KU, KUMC and community interest in steady-state ridership, and how effective this bus route can be.
—After much research, we have discovered there is no time-efficient way to get directly from KU Lawrence Campus to the KUMed Center Campus. This bus would go directly between the two.
2 August 2008 at 12:15 p.m.

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sjschlag (Anonymous) says…

I'll drive this route, if it works out with my schedule. Who knows, it might just work! I'm really excited to hear about how this program turns out! I think that this could be the start of something huge!

Write your state legislator. Tell them to help out projects like this.