City to poll schools, stakeholders on Little Red transit interest
In an effort to heighten the use of Little Red River Park, city council mulled the idea of an experimental bus route to the park at their latest meeting.
The idea came on the back of earlier transit discussions and recent overhauls, though a report outlining the project’s feasibility was met with heavy discourse.
The report said the cost to operate a bus service from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. five days a week for three months — December to February — would be near $18,000. As it cost roughly $68.68 per hour of operation with First Bus, the service would need 15 passengers per hour to meet cost ratios and upwards of 34 to break even. The report also said the city has not received many requests for service to the park.
The city has purchased new buses set to arrive in the coming months and could use one of these for the run, but city staff would prefer to keep a few as backups for the fleet. However, the city could source a bus for this run from First Bus or another contractor.