CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -
Everyday some 19,000 people depend on the Regional Transportation Authority buses, and that number is projected to rise in coming years.
So, the RTA is formulating a plan to meet the demand over the next 20 years.
In fact, that was the topic of Thursday's RTA public meeting, "What will transportation in the Coastal Bend look like in 2032?"
For their research, they turned to those who know best, the people who depend on those buses.
The Boys and Girls Club on Greenwood was the setting for the RTA's last of eight public meetings before finalizing its 20-year "Vamonos!" long-range plan. That plan will be made public later this fall, and will be used to make the system work more efficiently to better serve the folks who depend on public transportation.
After all, with a service area of 838 square miles, and an annual operating budget of more than $22 million, it's a big job that depends on its riders to keep it moving forward.
Some of the comments made by the public include that the system's image needs to change; perceptions that buses are always empty, a claim the RTA says is not a reality; also, that the agency is not transparent, and that our roads are a mess because buses beat up the roads.
If you want to make a comment or suggestion, you can do that by going to the RTA's website and clicking the "Vamonos" link. There, you can get a look at what some of your neighbors have suggest and what's being considered.
Once all the information is digested, the RTA board will then adopt the plan at its Oct. 10 meeting.
