Hidden in the City Council agenda for Thursday (July 28th) is a request to authorize an agreement between the City of Huntsville and
Nelson/Nygaard Associates, a transit consulting firm that has worked extensively in transit-friendly West Coast cities like Seattle and San Francisco, for a "Comprehensive Operational Analysis" (COA) of the Huntsville Shuttle. The federal government recommends a COA every ten years; however, this will be Huntsville's first since the introduction of the Shuttle in 1990. In layman's terms, a COA looks at an existing transit system and sees where it can run more efficiently and increase ridership by cutting/changing routes, decreasing time between buses, enhanced service during peak hours, etc. What the COA would do is lay the foundation for a longer-term transit plan for the city. There is a desire among city officials for a long-term transit vision, and Mayor Battle has on numerous occasions expressed the need for regional cooperation on transit.
The transit plan comes at a time of change for public transportation in Huntsville. Google Transit is expected to be available for Huntsville very soon, along with other web and mobile services, and a useful downtown circulator is in the works.
I would love to leave my car behind and use public transit to/from work. I'd pay a premium for that service.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the current bus system's schedule is completely against working. It starts too late and ends too soon.
I hope the possible new transit plan is more worker-friendly. I think there a lot of people like me in HSV.
I have emailed/argued for a route between Huntsville Hospital and the new Madison HH campus.
ReplyDeleteI think it makes sense for employees, couriers, and those of us who can capitalize on a route that goes from Madison through UAH to Governors, and back again.