TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Brother And Sister Start Petition For Saturday Bus Service

Photo by DAVE CASEY

Elizabeth Mansfield, 48, and Donald Brush, 47, have both become disabled this year in separate accidents. They want to expand the county’s bus service through the weekend. Brush says he has collected over 400 signatures to support their cause.

ADVERTISEMENT

By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: November 16, 2008

SPRING HILL - Donald Brush and Elizabeth Mansfield rely on THE Bus for just about everything.

The brother and sister duo from Spring Hill are disabled and use the public transit system to get to the doctors' offices, stores and other places.

There's only one problem: THE Bus doesn't operate on Saturdays.

With the system already on life support, it's not likely that Saturday service is on the immediate horizon.

But that hasn't stopped Brush, 47, and Mansfield, 48, from trying.

They have gathered close to 400 names on a petition they've circulated in the area asking people to support Saturday transit. They hope to present it to county commissioners at a January upcoming meeting.

"THE Bus is very important to us," Mansfield told Hernando Today.

Saddled with two defective hips, Mansfield said it's difficult for her to schedule doctor appointments during the week. Many physicians are open Saturdays, but she can't go because she has no way of getting there.

"We need (Saturday service) terribly," she said. "There are people out there who really rely on that bus and a lot of them go to the doctors and a lot of them go shopping on the weekend."

She would like to see Sunday service for people who go to church, but she admits that might be too optimistic.

"Just about every day I take that bus," said Brush, who moved to Hernando County when he was 10 years old. "Every one of those drivers knows who I am."

Brush said he has a broken pelvis, is blind in his left eye and has no depth perception. He cannot get a drivers license and has no choice but to ride THE Bus.

Brush believes Saturday service would "benefit the elderly and the people who have to go to work on a Saturday."

He also said it would help the economy because more people could access stores to spend money.

"I'm trying to benefit the community," Brush said.

County Commissioner Dave Russell said he would like nothing better than to expand bus service to Saturday. But with the budget as tight as it is, that may not be feasible.

"Basically, we are starving for dollars," Russell said. "We have to pick our days. Right now, we are trying to serve people who go to work Monday to Friday as best we can and save money on the weekends. It would be great to try (Saturdays), but I don't think we can do that."

However, Russell admits that the transit system is "constantly evolving" and the county staffers are looking at the most efficient uses of THE Bus. If they can figure out a way to run it on Saturday and still make money, there may be hope, he said.

Brush plans to take his petition and state his case to commissioners at a January commission meeting.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT