Regional Transit Service announced on July 14 that RTS On Demand will be making changes to their schedule, ending nighttime service and weekends.
What are the changes in service to RTS?
RTS On Demand changes at a glance
Why were the Rochester public transportation cuts made?
According to RTS, the change is a part of their effort to manage a structural budget deficit responsibly while still providing a safe, reliable, convenient and sustainable transportation across the community.
Tom Brede, RTS public information officer, said that over the last several years RTS has seen a lot of the same challenges that other businesses and organizations have faced such as increased costs, supply chain issues and inflation. He also mentioned that their expenses have risen at a rate that is faster than the funding they receive is increasing.
“We are a publicly funded entity, we do get some fare revenue, but that fare revenue only represents about 5% of our total budget,” Brede said. “The rest of that budget primarily comes from funding that we get from state and federal governments.”
What should riders do instead?
The transportation service encourages those who are affected by this change to plan ahead and seek other options.
Importantly, fixed-route RTS and paratransit services are not affected by this change and will operate as usual.
Criticism of the On Demand RTS cuts
Non-profit organization Reconnect Rochester, said it is alarmed by these cuts to the On Demand service.
“These cuts further exacerbate the declining quality of RTS’s suburban service,” said Cody Donahue, co-executive director of Reconnect Rochester, in a statement. “In our view, the changes implemented last year made using the On Demand service harder for residents with the introduction of ‘virtual stops’ and restrictive cancellation policies, not to mention more costly with substantial fare increases.”
Reconnect Rochester is asking anyone with concerns about the impact of these changes and the state of public transportation to contact RTS and their state representatives to share how these cuts impact their lives.
RTS leadership responds
RTS CEO Miguel Velázquez provided the following statement about the change:
“While the decision to make these changes was difficult, it was also necessary to help us ensure the long-term financial health and sustainability of the transit system as a whole. We are committed to being transparent with our customers and employees and equally committed to protecting and preserving the transit system for many years to come. We look forward to continuing our work with the community to responsibly manage the resources entrusted to us.”
— Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: RTS On Demand to end weekend service, cut weekday hours
Reporting by Kerria Weaver and CJ Leathers, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kerria Weaver and CJ Leathers, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
