Only a handful of people showed up at the Central Arkansas Transit Authority's first public meeting Monday to solicit comment on possible options for future bus service, but they had plenty to say.
"It was a very diverse group," said Jarod Varner, the agency's executive director. "Some were current riders, others were future riders. I was impressed by how engaged they were."
The authority has been looking at adding a range of services that include more frequent service on its regular bus routes; high-frequency bus rapid transit, which uses high-capacity buses in their own lanes; or light rail service on its highest ridership routes.
The costs for the improvements range from $17.5 million annually to $30 million. More expensive options would require additional money with some thought being given to providing the agency with a dedicated tax, which would require a popular vote. The authority's board is expected to make a decision as soon as next month.
CATA, which is changing its name to Rock Region Metro, now relies principally on annual contributions from Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Sherwood and Maumelle to fund its operations, which limits its ability to make changes to its routes and services.
At least three of the attendees relied solely on the buses for transportation. None owned cars.
Calvin Hanson, 76, said he uses the bus when he shops and is happy with the service. He said he would be willing to pay more to keep the current service or allow the service to run later in the evening.
"I depend on it," he said.
Christine Murrell, 48, of Little Rock uses two buses and a 30-minute walk to get to her part-time job at a market research company in North Little Rock. She has to work on Saturdays once a month, but less-frequent bus service makes it difficult to get to and from home on that day, Murrell said.
Better bus service also would provide her more job opportunities. A job at Little Rock Air Force Base was out of reach because she had no way to get there by bus, she said.
Harrison Maddox, 27, uses the bus to augment getting around on a bicycle.
"I definitely use it when it is raining or when I go on a longer trip than is practical to ride a bike," he said.
He also would like to see daily service hours extended and a new route farther west to The Promenade shopping center to allow more options for dining and shopping.
Jerry Ward of Little Rock attended the meeting solely to learn details of a potential tax increase, which he opposes because, he said, taxes are too high already.
"I want to talk about how much you are going to raise my taxes," he said.
Varner said agency officials wouldn't be ready to discuss funding proposals until they were able to gauge the level of service the public would like to see.
Another Little Rock resident, Jim Wakefield, was unhappy with the name change, which he called a waste of money. He also was concerned that the distinctive yellow of the River Rail trolleys would be changed to match the new blue paint scheme planned for the agency's buses.
"It is a good color combination now," he said. "It's very visible from a distance. They can be seen from a long way off. If they're blue, they'll just be another truck or bus."
Monday's meeting was the first of six the agency has scheduled.
The next one begins at 5:30 p.m. today at the Laman Library, Room 126, at 2801 Orange St. in North Little Rock. Another one will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Southwest Community Center at 6401 Baseline Road in Little Rock.
Information about the draft plan can be found at www.cat.org/move.
CATA was created by an interlocal agreement in 1986 and serves the cities of Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle, Sherwood and Jacksonville, and Pulaski County. It operates 26 fixed routes, the 3.4-mile River Rail streetcar and Links paratransit services. The agency carries nearly 3 million passengers annually systemwide.
Metro on 06/23/2015