Strengthen bus system

If the proposed jobs fund proved the death of last fall’s ballot question for a 1-cent citywide sales tax, the collateral damage included money to sustain and strengthen Wichita’s bus system.

And come January, Mayor Jeff Longwell warned last week, Wichita Transit will be $2 million short of the money it needs to continue the current operations, which serve 2 million riders a year.

To his credit, the new mayor isn’t giving up on Wichita Transit, calling it “critical to the vitality of Wichita” and highlighting its urgent funding needs at the second of his welcome series of regular news conferences.

Not that citizens seem willing to back away from the bus system, either.

As it became clear leading up to the sales tax defeat, even Wichitans who don’t take the bus recognize that a public transportation system not only is a lifeline for many of the city’s poor, elderly and disabled residents but also a necessity for a city of 386,000 trying to grow its population, diversify its economy and reduce its air pollution.

The trick will be turning the shared concern into a new plan to cover the costs of maintaining and expanding service, preferably so the buses will run past 7 p.m. and better reflect the city’s geography.

Longwell, the only City Council member last year who did not support the sales tax initiative, told The Eagle editorial board during the recent mayoral campaign that the bus system was the city’s most critical need and he would look at a possible transit-only sales tax increase of one-tenth of a cent – with no sunset.

That idea should be on the table as city officials hold meetings in the coming days to raise awareness and gather input. The possibilities to build ridership could include “park and ride” features and van pools that can expand Wichita Transit into a more metropolitan system and change how people get to and from work. Longwell emphasized the importance of public transit to the convention and tourism business and to downtown redevelopment, especially along Douglas.

Not all the news about the bus system is bleak. Compared with the same periods in 2014, ridership was up 4 percent in March and up 3.5 percent in the first quarter of 2015, and added routes and services have led to 11 percent ridership growth in west Wichita in the past year. Longwell and other leaders have a lot of confidence in Steve Spade, Wichita Transit’s leader since 2012, who has a performance analysis underway.

As Longwell said, “This community needs to undertake the dialogue of what transit’s going to become tomorrow.”

Citizens should let their ideas be heard about service and added funding.

Without a better bus system, Wichita will limit its own growth and future. Whether Longwell can guide his City Council colleagues and City Hall to a permanent transit solution will be a good early indicator of his leadership skill.

For the editorial board, Rhonda Holman

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 7:07 PM with the headline "Strengthen bus system."