Bus service coming to Waynesboro

September 05, 1997

By RICHARD F. BELISLE

Staff Writer, Waynesboro

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The long absence of bus service in Waynesboro comes to an end next week.

Local and state officials will cut a ribbon on Center Square at 9:30 a.m.Tuesday, launching daily bus service in Waynesboro. It will be provided by the Chambersburg Transit Authority, which runs a public service in that city, said CTA Director Doug Filson.

Later on in the week, possibly as soon as Thursday, the privately owned Rouzerville Express will begin its service through the borough and township, according to owner Robert Backer of Rouzerville.

The transit authority will run over an 18-mile, 28-stop run from Rouzerville to Zullinger between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Riders will pay $1 per trip. Children will ride for half fare and seniors will ride free.

PennDot has approved a $68,000 subsidy to CTA to run the Waynesboro service. Waynesboro and Washington Township will each put in 10 percent of the cost. The rest of the money to run the system will come from rider fees.

Backer's service will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and will make stops along Pa. 16 between Rouzerville on the east and west as far as the Moose Club in Waynesboro. Riders will be charged $2 a trip. He gets no subsidy.

Backer said he will extend his service to Zullinger when the Cumberland Valley on Ice skating rink opens later this year.

Backer and Filson said their companies will enhance, rather than compete with each other because Backer's service runs at night. "I'll be picking up where they leave off," Backer said.

Backer said he hopes to put up his route signs in the next few days. They will be installed on existing traffic sign poles and state the time the bus stops at that point and a map of his overall route. "I'll have to delay the opening if I can't get all my signs up," he said.

Filson said area senior citizen groups lobbied local governments to bring bus service to the community. Backer said he's starting his service in response to prompting by private citizens.

Tuesday's ceremony will include free refreshments and free rides and T-shirts for the first 50 riders, Filson said. He and Waynesboro Mayor Louis Barlup Jr. will cut the ribbon.

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