Spokane7
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June 17, 2010 in City
STA board eliminates two bus routes
Two little-used bus routes that serve park-and-ride lots in Spokane were eliminated in a vote Wednesday by the Spokane Transit Authority board of directors.
Cuts totaling 2 percent of operating costs were approved by the board and are expected to take effect in September.
Those cuts are expected to be the first in a series of budget-trimming measures that STA plans to undertake. An additional 7 percent cut is planned for next year and a second 7 percent cut may follow in 2012.
Routes 35 and 47, which provide shuttle service to park-and-ride lots at Five Mile and on the South Hill, will be eliminated.
In addition, Routes 2, 20, 23, 22, 44 and 74 would see reductions in route frequency or weekend service.
The cuts are being forced by a decline in sales tax revenue since 2007. Last year’s sales taxes were down by 12 percent, and the decline continued in the first quarter of this year.
Man dies following early Saturday accident 
liarsinnews on June 17 at 12:04 p.m.
The mismanagement of STA is coming home to roost. The cash cow company, just a few years ago when the taxpayers got sucked into handing out more money, was bragging about all the sales tax revenue they expected and went on a spending spree.
scaleram on June 17 at 1:01 p.m.
“Little used!” Most of the STA bus routes are “lettle used.” We should furnish counseling for the STA drivers. It has to be very lonely driving an STA bus. It would be cheaper if we just furnished taxi vouchers for people that need to get around. I am not even going to mention the environmental impact of driving big diesel buses around when a Volkswagen would do the job. STA is a huge waste of money and they probably need to cut about 80 percent of the routes.
BrandonHansen on June 17 at 1:14 p.m.
So Mike, all those people I have to cram next to when trying to go from the South Hill to downtown could fit in a Volkswagen? Yikes.
jasminexxxx on June 17 at 4:53 p.m.
I used to ride the 47, where there would only be one other person riding, and that was just so I could go to school.
I am actually disappointed in the STA, they say they need money but they also don’t understand how much their service ties to the evolving downtown structure.
and Mike, try every day wishing that the creepy drunk man that has been staring at you for the past twenty minutes isn’t going to have to be forced to sit next to you. On a good day, he ends up sitting two seats behind.
Milan67 on June 17 at 8:23 p.m.
Well! There goes the buses. I’am glad to have a car to get around. Aint I
lucky.