All too often a public hearing is either poorly attended or is just a matter of form in which what the public has to say isn’t really heard by those conducting the hearing.
That doesn’t appear to be the case when it comes to a recent hearing by the Imperial County Transportation Commission, which Thursday heard praises along with concerns from the public about local transportation. Commissioners rarely are the ones riding the buses, so determining where problems exist and how they might be solved lies in the hands of bus riders willing to speak up.
At the annual Transportation Development Act Unmet Needs public hearing, among the concerns the commission heard was one about needing more transportation for Imperial Valley College students, who said bus overcrowding can result in tardiness, poor grades and even being dropped from classes. Many of IVC students coming from Calexico get to school by bus. One student leader emphasized the importance of being able to pursue a higher education, “and one of the key variables in order to do so is having a way to get there.”
Bus riders also have complained about safety issues, availability of restroom facilities and more seating, while others have called bus services “a blessing.”
Imperial County is notorious for its unemployment rate and poverty level, and when one doesn’t have the means to own a private vehicle, then buses or taxis are the answer. But across the county, not enough riders utilize what does exist. This means local, state and federal subsidies are necessary to keep the transit lines in operation.
The commission, which reconvenes at the end of February, is in a position to recommend changes that best suit its riders.
And while our county doesn’t have the vast and varied public transit system available in metropolitan areas, considering the size of the county and the distance between cities and services, the Transportation Commission seems to be doing what it can to help meet the Valley’s needs.
THE ISSUE: The Valley’s public transit system
WE SAY: Hearing was the public’s chance to be heard, and we believe they were.
WHAT DO YOU SAY? Send us your thoughts on this topic to www.ivpressonline.com/letterstotheeditor
That doesn’t appear to be the case when it comes to a recent hearing by the Imperial County Transportation Commission, which Thursday heard praises along with concerns from the public about local transportation. Commissioners rarely are the ones riding the buses, so determining where problems exist and how they might be solved lies in the hands of bus riders willing to speak up.
At the annual Transportation Development Act Unmet Needs public hearing, among the concerns the commission heard was one about needing more transportation for Imperial Valley College students, who said bus overcrowding can result in tardiness, poor grades and even being dropped from classes. Many of IVC students coming from Calexico get to school by bus. One student leader emphasized the importance of being able to pursue a higher education, “and one of the key variables in order to do so is having a way to get there.”
Bus riders also have complained about safety issues, availability of restroom facilities and more seating, while others have called bus services “a blessing.”
Imperial County is notorious for its unemployment rate and poverty level, and when one doesn’t have the means to own a private vehicle, then buses or taxis are the answer. But across the county, not enough riders utilize what does exist. This means local, state and federal subsidies are necessary to keep the transit lines in operation.
The commission, which reconvenes at the end of February, is in a position to recommend changes that best suit its riders.
And while our county doesn’t have the vast and varied public transit system available in metropolitan areas, considering the size of the county and the distance between cities and services, the Transportation Commission seems to be doing what it can to help meet the Valley’s needs.
THE ISSUE: The Valley’s public transit system
WE SAY: Hearing was the public’s chance to be heard, and we believe they were.
WHAT DO YOU SAY? Send us your thoughts on this topic to www.ivpressonline.com/letterstotheeditor
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