TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Dump The Pump For A Day

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: June 18, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - In America's love affair with the automobile, perhaps a one-day separation might make the hearts of motorists grow even fonder.

But transportation planners and public transit officials across the country say parking the car for 24 hours will help the wallet stay a little fatter, help the environment and just might open the eyes of skeptics who turn up their nose at public transportation.

This Thursday, June 19, Hernando County joins cities and counties throughout the country in the third annual Dump the Pump Day. The event encourages Americans to give up their cars for a day in lieu of public transportation or alternate modes such as bicycling or walking.

The hope is that Hernando residents will give THE Bus a try, said Steve Diez, a county transportation planner.

"The whole focus is to try to get people out of their cars," Diez said. "Anytime you can park your car and use transit or alternative means of travel, you're saving money."

Riders who climb aboard THE Bus Thursday can enter drawings to win prizes ranging from coolers to tote bags, said Mary Stahl, marketing and outreach coordinator for TransHernando.

"Hopefully, people will at least give it a try," Stahl said.

This year's event comes in the midst of unprecedented gas prices. The national average for a gallon of unleaded regular gas was $4.08 on Monday - a full dollar higher than the same time last year. Floridians are paying slightly less, at $4.03 per gallon of regular unleaded.

Public transportation use saves the equivalent of 300,000 fewer automobile fill-ups every day - 108 million fewer cars filling up annually, according to the American Public Transportation Association. In 2007, Americans took 10.3 billion trips on public transportation - the highest ridership level in 50 years. The number of riders taking advantage of Hernando's controversial transit system also has increased in recent years to an average of 700 per day, Stahl said. That's up about from about 630 riders per day this time last year. Hernando County's population is about 166,000.

About 21 percent of 447 respondents - 99 - to a ridership survey released last week said they use THE Bus daily for to commute to work. That's up from 12 percent in 2003, when the Federal Department of Transportation did the last survey.

The survey showed 27 percent of riders used THE Bus for shopping trips, a modest increase from 23 percent in 2003. About 80 percent of THE Bus users are "captive riders," those who do not have a vehicle or come from households with incomes near federal poverty thresholds.

Diez acknowledged the system has its flaws. THE Bus is designed to stick to major roads and hits all the main shopping areas, but would-be riders complain the system doesn't travel deeper into neighborhoods, which would make it more accessible, Diez said.

However, he said the price is hard to beat: $1 for a one-way regular fare, or 50 cents for students, seniors and the disabled. An all-day pass is $1.50.

Some local pols and taxpayers continue to grumble that THE Bus, which costs Hernando County property taxpayers about $600,000 annually, is a boondoggle. The system has an annual budget of $1.67 million that includes state and federal grants. Diez said planners would like to expand the system to make it more attractive to residents who have the luxury of making a conscious decision to use the system instead of their cars.

In the meantime, he said those who do have cars have the option to drive to a transfer station and then let THE Bus do the rest.

For more information on THE Bus, call 754-4444 or visit www.hernandobus.com.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT