Bus line upgrades will benefit riders

5/3/07
Anything to lure people off the highways — that ought to be the state’s mass transit mantra. A recently announced upgrade in bus service around the state and the region is a positive step in that regard.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced last weekend a statewide bus service initiative, including a $7.5 million outlay for 36 new vehicles and expanded service on a variety of routes. Among the improvements are longer hours, more frequent service, additional days and a few completely new routes.
Bus ridership was up by about 5 percent in 2006, the state reported, and with no end in sight to the climb in gas prices, that trend can be expected to continue. It’s important for the state to meet that rising demand with better and more frequent service.
Among the changes is the addition of peak-period express service between Bridgeport and Shelton, and weekday hourly service between the train stations in Stratford and Derby. With Route 8 slowdowns more and more common, every car taken off the road will help.
The state will also increase Saturday service on the Coastal Link, which runs between Norwalk and Milford, from once an hour to every half-hour. Farther south, the state is buying longer buses for the route between Port Chester, N.Y., and Norwalk, allowing for more seats with the same number of runs.
These are all good moves, and it is hoped they will presage even more expansions. The state also needs to do more to market their bus routes, getting out the word to people about times and schedules and stops. The more people know about the routes, new and old, the more people will take advantage of them and leave the car at home once in a while.
The state talks a good game when it comes to the benefits of mass transit, and it’s important to follow that up with concrete action. There is always more to be done, but by improving bus service, transportation officials are proving that they can do more than just talk.