RFTA Needs More Resources?

February 16th, 2008 at 01:04am Jim Vail 541

I have been considerably distracted lately trying to finish out my time here, go through everything and pack up in preparation to move out of state, but something caught my eye today (yesterday now) in "The Aspen Times".

On the front page is an article entitled "RFTA's challenges with ridership spur finger pointing". The main point of discussion concerns ongoing arguements among board members as to why they are not sufficiently handling the needs of bus riders in this valley. Among the reasons cited for their problems are: decreased amount of day-skier parking in Snowmass Village, higher parking fees in Aspen, soaring gas prices and harsh winter weather. While admitting that some of the criticism is valid, the RFTA CEO also said "...that RFTA will be unable to meet future increases in demand for service without additional revenues."

Now I would be the first to admit that I know very little as to their policies, procedures and the like, but I have eyes and have seen a hell of a lot of things that don't seem right to me.

I have been a delivery driver in this valley for the past couple of years and I make multiple runs every day between El Jebel and Aspen/Snowmass. I have driven close to 100,000 miles in this valley since December 2005. About 95% of my day is spent on the road - mostly on Highway 82 and Brush Creek Road. You can imagine I do indeed see a lot.

Trying to stay on point for this discussion, I will not say anything about all the crazy idiots I see every day and all of the spin-outs and accidents. Maybe another post?

I wish I had a buck for every RFTA bus I see going up or down the road empty with their "NOT IN SERVICE" markee displayed. Sometimes, two or three of them within a mile or two of each other.

Often while on Brush Creek leaving Snowmass, I will see RFTA ski shuttles - "Ski Snowmass" heading toward the slopes - usually at least two within the same 1/2 mile, but I have seen as many as four or five of them with less than a mile between the one in front and the last one.

In the middle of the day, say noon plus or minus a couple of hours, frequently I see the scheduled "local" bus going up or down the valley with a solitary person, maybe two. This also happens with the "X Basalt and El Jebel" and "X Blue Lakes/Carbondale" buses.

While waiting at the City Market bus stop in El Jebel for an upvalley bus to take me back to Basalt, I will see at least one, sometimes two, three or even four "NOT IN SERVICE" buses headed upvalley during the eight or ten minutes I am waiting at the bus stop. Especially nervewracking is waiting for the bus there, noting that it's nine or ten minutes behind schedule, then seeing it there waiting at the traffic light on El Jebel Road. The light changes, the bus makes the turn onto the highway and then blows by the bus stop - "NOT IN SERVICE". I would love to have a buck for every time I have seen that also.

And yet, there are daily numerous complaints about overcrowding, lateness, not enough buses etc. Is it just me or is there some kind of "DUH!" moment happening here?

Entry Filed under: Transportation, Aspen, Pitkin County