People Who Use Services Have A Right To Answers

Sat., Sept. 27, 1997

Grace Capri Special To Opinion

I don’t ride the bus simply because it’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer or because the buses are clean and prompt and the drivers are friendly and courteous. I also don’t ride it just because it prevents a lot of wear and tear on my car, saves me money on gas, insurance and parking and gives me peace of mind in the winter when the roads are treacherous.

And I don’t just ride the bus because as a member of the human race I feel a responsibility to contribute to cleaner air and less congestion on the roadways.

I ride the bus because it is CONVENIENT, which is why I, and hundreds of STA riders out there, are panicking over STA’s latest proposal to change and eliminate routes.

Each morning, I catch the 7:10 U-City Limited bus at the Valley bus plaza. The ride takes only about 20 minutes; it’s zip and we’re downtown. I read on the bus; I balance my checkbook; I sleep and I talk with the other riders.

The regulars on the U-City Limited, professional people, have become a close-knit group. When we heard that the U-City Limited would be eliminated and we’d have to take the East Sprague bus, we got active. We all signed a petition that said: “Please don’t get rid of this bus.”

If we are forced to ride the East Sprague bus the trip will take a lot longer. There is not one other rider with whom I have talked who will not be adversely affected one way or another by this proposal. Some will be forced to walk more than 10 blocks to get to their stops. All have said they would start driving again. Sorry, alternative suggestions by the STA are not acceptable.

What we loyal customers want to know is: Is this really a “proposal” or should we tune up our cars? Is there anything we the riders can do to change STA’s mind? Will STA hold hearings and give us a chance to express our concerns? Will expressing our concerns even matter? Will the bus drivers who drive the routes currently on the chopping block lose their jobs? Do the people making these proposals commute on the bus?

If the STA is sitting on millions of dollars of surplus, why not focus on adding routes as opposed to eliminating them? Does the STA care about its riders? Who is the STA accountable to? When is this supposed to happen? We’re in the dark here, folks.

STA, please help us out. Inquiring riders want to know.

MEMO: Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a Your Turn column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write Your Turn, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615.

Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a Your Turn column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write Your Turn, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615.

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