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Will Spotsylvania drive its own bus?
Spotsylvania looking at alternatives to FRED
By DAN TELVOCK
Date published: 5/18/2007
By DAN TELVOCK
Spotsylvania supervisors want county staff to explore ways to provide bus service that could complement a larger regional program in the future.
Right now, FREDericksburg Regional Transit provides two bus routes that originate in Spotsylvania. In April, there were 3,962 boardings in Spotsylvania, according to FRED.
But some supervisors say constituents are asking for more as the county's contribution toward the bus system has increased.
"Taxpayers are paying for FRED and a lot of taxpayers aren't getting any benefit from FRED at all," said Supervisor T.C. Waddy at a May 8 supervisors meeting.
The Board of Supervisors hasn't necessarily welcomed transit opportunities. Spotsylvania never had a majority of supervisors agree to join the Virginia Railway Express, though voters approved a bond package in 2005 that includes $12 million for a station. Supervisors tabled meetings with FRED staff in late 2004 to discuss five new routes and nothing has materialized since then.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Chris Yakabouski said FRED isn't meeting its mission "to provide safe, dependable, efficient, and affordable public transportation to the citizens and visitors of the Fredericksburg region."
He said the service caters to those who don't drive, while it should focus on commuters.
"Public transportation should be about getting cars off the road," he said.
FRED does have plans to help some commuters.
Buses are on order to provide shuttle service to the downtown train station for Spotsylvania and city Virginia Railway Express riders.
FRED serves not only Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg, but also Caroline, King George and Stafford counties. Buses generally run weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
"I want it to work, but it is just not working as well as I think it could," Yakabouski said.
Supervisor Gary Jackson said Spotsylvania supervisors have little control over the bus service. He suggested county staff explore private-entity proposals for bus service. He envisions a county bus service that feeds into a larger regional service, which he believes FRED will become.
"This is not unusual. Just look north. That's how it operates up north," Jackson said. "I don't have any criticism of the FRED service. And frankly, I am just suggesting we explore this."
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All local governments have seen increases in monetary support for FREDericksburg Regional Transit, which has a $4.2 million budget. The funding formula is based on hours buses are in operation for each locality:
SPOTSYLVANIA
$265,400 in fiscal year 2006
$324,475 in fiscal year 2007
$434,091 in fiscal year 2008
STAFFORD:
$163,724 in fiscal year 2006
$213,343 in fiscal year 2007
$477,656 proposed for fiscal year 2008
FREDERICKSBURG
$1,102,526 in fiscal year 2006
$1,167, 180 in fiscal year 2007
$1,393,827 proposed for fiscal year 2008
CAROLINE*
$142,900 in fiscal year 2006
$157,710 in fiscal year 2007
$164,001 proposed for fiscal year 2008
*The state pays half because Caroline is considered a rural transit area.
KING GEORGE*
$211,575 in fiscal year 2006
$232,739 in fiscal year 2007
$280,866 proposed for fiscal year 2008
* The state pays half because King George is considered a rural transit area
FRED also receives grants and partners with Mary Washington Hospital, the University of Mary Washington, GEICO, Petro, English Oaks, The Evergreens and Carl D. Silver. |
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Read more stories about Spotsylvania
Date published: 5/18/2007
Most recent reader comments:
I agree 100%
(posted by
homegrown
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
with rrbhokies. I also think the HOT lanes are a TERRIBLE idea. They will do nothing but exacerbate the traffic in main lanes and do NOTHING to get cars off the road. Bus and rail are the ONLY solutions, and their schedules ideally might accommodate travel other than "normal" commuter.
Hellooo? Wake up
(posted by
viewfromme
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
The PEOPLE of the county voted 2 years ago to join VRE and build a station. This group of supervisors are idiots! Your still building in your county yet you have done NOTHING to improve travel for commuters. The people in your county don't stay there, work there and vacation there. They do leave ya know, but I guess they won't count on going far as you continue to not agree and take no action.
Babies
(posted by
winwood
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
What's with the County Supervisors. They're beginning to sound like a bunch of spoiled cry babies; "I'm not playing if I don't get it my way". It's unbelievable that in these days of +$3.00 gas that they are openly critical of existing mass transit solutions, yet have done nothing to bring mass transit to their constituents. They need to go back to the stone age where they belong.
Why not PRTC Ride On?
(posted by
rrbhokies
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
I live in Stafford and routinely use PRTC from Dale City to commute to/from work. If PRTC includes Rappahanock in their name, why aren't Stafford/Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania working to extend PRTC into our are. They have a well established local and commuter bus system that would integrate well into our communities. Instead, we are left with FRED and MARTZ for our local and commuter needs and both are inferior services. It's time we start acting like the bigger counties in this area.
Spotsylvania fund their own buses?
(posted by
rikkirat
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
That's really funny - Spotsylvania's supervisors can't even implement their own voter's desire to become a member of the VRE. Instead they'd rather have their citizens continue to mooch off the goodwill of counties/municipalities that do cough up the subsidy bucks. And now they want to have their own buses? That is just too too funny!
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