Fewer routes might save money, but each time this happens, the system becomes less useful to potential riders…
…Clearly there are a variety of needs to be met. But at what cost to taxpayers? Based on figures available on the Shore Transit website, it cost about $5.7 million to operate Shore Transit during fiscal year 2010. Revenue from fares was about $1.6 million, or 28 percent of that cost. The remainder comes from county allocations and funding from the state and federal governments.
It’s not unheard of for a public transit system in a rural area to operate in this way — Maryland’sGarrett County has a similar bus system that served 142,812 riders in FY 2010 at a cost of $1.08 million, of which $602,418 is covered by requesting state and federal funds, according to its website; the remaining $400,000 or so was funded by Garrett County and an area nonprofit agency. That system also serves seniors and disabled residents. Delaware’s DART First State transit system is funded in the following way: fares, 13 percent; federal grants, 3 percent; bus advertising, 3 percent; state funding, 81 percent. Neither system is close to self-supporting.
More here.
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