Shut down local bus system? Munson must offer real plan

September 26, 2003

Washington County Commissioner John Munson, whose last Big Idea was to declare the county's efforts to redevelop Fort Ritchie a failure and give the old Army base back to Uncle Sam, now favors shutting down the County Commuter bus system. But this time Munson has an idea for what should replace what he wants to shut down. Give us more details, please.

Munson's comments came during a county board discussion of ways to make the bus system more efficient. Munson said that taxpayers often ask him why the county runs the bus service even though few people appear to ride it. It doesn't break even, Munson said, so he would shut it down.

Before we address Munson's proposed solution to the transportation needs of those who ride the buses, let us point out that taxpayers support a system of parks, even though they are not jammed with people all the time.

And it would be irresponsible not to mention that mass transit helps preserve local air quality and gives a transportation option to those who cannot drive, either because they can't afford it or no longer have the reflexes to safely operate an automobile.

In our view, increasing ridership requires doing a better job of marketing the bus service. Annual bus passes should be promoted as good gifts for adult children to buy for their aging parents.

But let's look at Munson's proposal. He would give the disabled who rely on the service tickets to ride taxis at the same cost as current bus fares, which are $1.25 for adults and 60 to 95 cents for senior citizens, depending on what they ride. Students pay 85 cents.

Would Munson's service break even, or at least lose less money than the current system? What would the county do to meet the transportation needs of non-disabled seniors and students who ride from Hagerstown to the community college or the Robinwood Medical Center?

Munson needs to develop a plan to provide for those needs, at a cost less than the system incurs now.

Why is it up to him? Because the taxpayers give him a salary of $30,000 a year. For that citizens deserve well-thought-out and researched plans on how to save their tax dollars. We await the details of Commissioner Munson's proposal with great interest.

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