Even though local ridership for the Greyhound Bus system is low, it is an important transportation link for some residents. Recent events also illustrate the importance of city officials providing the assistance and oversight needed to maintain appropriate pickup and drop-off points for the bus.

Greyhound buses had used a convenience store near Sixth Street and Crestline Drive as a pickup point, but the closure of that store has prompted the system to seek another location. A temporary pickup point was established near the Santa Fe Depot in East Lawrence, which caused some unexpected problems for a nearby nonprofit. Because the depot is closed except when Amtrak trains are coming through late at night and early in the morning, bus riders were wandering across the street to Van Go in search of rest rooms and a telephone they could use. The executive director of Van Go understood the riders’ dilemma but said the arts-based social service agency wasn’t equipped to become a de facto bus station.

City officials actually had recommended the depot to Greyhound but now recognize that a change is needed. While Greyhound seeks a more permanent stopping point near Interstate 70, city officials plan to ask the Lawrence City Commission to allow the buses temporarily to use an existing bus stop near the Riverfront Plaza at Sixth and New Hampshire streets. That’s not a perfect solution, but at least bus riders would have access to facilities at City Hall during business hours.

It’s hard to foresee all the unintended consequences of a decision like sending Greyhound temporarily to the Santa Fe Depot, but city officials should act promptly to correct this situation and help Greyhound find a suitable long-term stopping point for its Lawrence riders.