Show Section "P iV ti ! Sunday July 7 2002 t' Pagel The Herald Journal Recently established countywide bus service provides riders plenty of reasons to take the bus ' the window as a CVTD bits makes its way toward Logan from Richmond A rider looks out - What ‘ N later if youdon't want to make the entire loop And if you get lucky the kids will even take a nap during the ride leaving a few moments to read your favorite book or do you use the free transit around Cache Valley for: Play? An afternoon : : ’ On a recent bus ride around Cache Valley on the CacheValley Transit routes it struck — there are numerous reasons to take the bus The most comipon use of course if to get from point A to point B and formally especially USU employees to get to waikand home But there are other good reasons to hitch a ride on a transit bus Kids driving you crazy? Tiake them for a ride on the Cache Valley Ttaiisit District (CVTD) routes You can begin your journey by finding a bus stop sign in your neighborhood and a listing of the bus schedule Though not all bus stops are listed on the schedule you can determine approximately what time the bus will arrive where you want to board by checking thes tops before and after yours that are listed od the schedule according to Ron Bushman the CVTD general manager The buses make acomplete loop from the transit center on 500 North in Logan back around either die north or south end of the valley in l hour and 30 minutes You can always hop offnear a park or restaurant for lunch or a break and men catch abus home ' - Transit District Bushman said it is here to stay unless votersget it put back on the ballot and vote to discontinue it He said the CVTD averages 17000 riders per month during the school year and IS to 16 passen- gers per hour Is a fee in the works? Bushman said ‘ charging fares “really doesn't make as much sense as people think" He saidwhen you add up the cost for fare boxes a person to count the coins and the fee for an armored car to transport the money the funds generated are minimal And a fee deters people that heed it from riding “It’s a service that helps economic devel- opment” Bushman said It takes people to work to earn money and then transports them to spend their money “Every dollar spent on transit turns over 46 times" Bushman said and it helps get people off welfare: In the future the transit district plans to run the buses later in the evening have urday service and have more frequent stops during the peak hours' of 8 am and between 3 and 5 pm Bushman said but ' that will only happen as the CVTD can afford the added services “We want to make sure we are fiscally responsible and can afford the service that we are putting out” he said magazine' Need to get away from work? One of the more devious ideas that came up was sneaking away from work for a round of golf at Birch Creek Golf Course using the CVTD north bus Lack air conditioning at home or just need a change of scenery? Catch the bus ' According to Bushman it’s OK for riders to joy ride on the bus to see the sights if they are not causing trouble but the transit staff has the right to remove rjders from the buses when they see fit And if you're looking for landscaping ideas for your yard a tour of the valley on the bus gives you a chance to see what other people have on their property and ' gives you a chance to jot it down as you go Taking the bus to a leisurely lunch in Smithfield Richmond Providence or ' Hynun just remember to pull the stop cord about a block before die stop where you want to get off the bus Since people cannot all agree on music those who wish to havetunes must bring their own headphones required ' As for die future of the CacheValley ’ t : i 2 U ' v" - - V-- ' V i£9En I I : s' r j? 1 1 f i s !( '' f V ' v! ( s 1 ' - r i y v: ' V- ’ fr'Vl : T s - y i ‘t 4 Story by Kanie Osborn Photos by Mitch Mascam ' topslgnand the valleyisyourtforfrM Above: Thera are iiiaJ(y plenty of open scab on the trip into Op county ' : i : ’j - - : I — ! I i iL v' ' O j V'- " Jy--- " vt i r ‘'v::::- y ’I- ' I 'i' 'i ' j i A '4 f f v r - k a - " MeM 1 L hs ‘‘£ iM s I J v fr v 4 e -- ' ' a f r mmm Ml l toesei V y V ntrhhtMi IsT I Vdd TlWiVs : t' i'i : ’ ' A :s ' : i - - ( ' :C S I 's' ' A- J — " Uib ai yourwad to bo is find a cnm) bus - “s 1 -- t ‘ J’’ “ ' “ r ') r |