News	April 17, 08

Broward County

Riding the Minibus

County plans to hire minibus service on four routes

By Jonathan Del Marcus

Residents who rely on Broward County buses as their only means of transportation successfully persuaded the County Commission to maintain bus service on four routes during an impassioned public hearing April 8. 

“I’m asking you to please find it in your hearts to understand the plight of these people,” said Lisa Palmer, a Lauderhill resident who takes three different buses to get to the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, where she works as a nurse. She added that many others who rely on the buses to get to work could lose their jobs if the routes they use are restricted or eliminated.

To cut costs in anticipation of massive budget shortfalls in the fiscal year 2009 budget resulting from a statewide property tax reform passed in January, the commission considered options to consolidate or eliminate the four lowest-performing (based on ridership and passenger revenue data) fixed bus routes operated by Broward County Transit — routes 15, 17, 23 and 57. Routes 15 and 17 service low-income areas of Hollywood, Route 23 primarily services Weston and Route 57 services other areas of the western section of the county.

Hollywood residents, including City Commissioner Linda Sherwood and Mayor Peter Bober, told the commission that low-income residents would be especially affected since buses on Routes 15 and 17 stop at many important Hollywood locations, including Memorial Regional Hospital South on Washington Street.

“We are asking you to think of an alternative or a compromise,” Sherwood said.

Rather than scrap or consolidate service or limit it to peak hours only, the commission decided by a 7-1 vote to contract out for minibus service to operate on the same schedules on the four routes. The minibus plan is expected to save the county more than $1.1 million a year, according to documents prepared by Chris Walton, director of the county’s Transportation Department.

County Commissioner Ken Keechl has been a forceful advocate for the minibus. 

“I think it’s our obligation to provide bus service to those who need it, including all the people who spoke today,” Keechl said. “It’s a fundamental job of the county to provide this service.”

Michelle Schuh of Miramar spoke on behalf of people who ride bus line 23, which serves the western section of the county.

“This is an alternative,” Schuh said. “It leaves the routes intact the way they are with the schedules, and I think it’s a better option than eliminating it. I think everyone’s going to be really happy with it.”