Transit Study Needs Your Input - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Transit Study Needs Your Input

Ready to take the bus?

More people in Minot have been boarding over the last year...and the city is now working to make the service available to more people who want it.

Perry Olson has more on a study that is underway to try and bring 'big city' service to 'small city' Minot.

(Ronald Kelly - City of Minot Bus Driver) "We've seen larger numbers riding the bus..."

Ronald Kelly would know...he sits behind the wheel of a city bus for many hours of the day...but those hours might be changing. The City of Minot has started a study of the transit system to see what people want.

(Brian Horinka - City Transit Superintendent) "It can be very convenient if the system is put in place and done well and that is what we are striving for right now."

A west coast company is conducting the study. After its through, you can expect to see more routes and longer hours -- and it seems to be what the riders want.

(Cynthia Evenson - Minot) "The schedule is good...except we would like Saturdays too..." (Catherine Buettner - Minot) "It would be nice if we had an earlier bus not only for school but for the regular public." (Brian Horinka - City Transit Superintendent) "We run Monday through Friday from 9 to 5. Hard to get people to and from work in those time frames."

Adult ridership was actually up about 80 percent last year with 137 thousand total rides. And as the city grows...Horinka expects those numbers to move up with it.

(Brian Horinka - City Transit Superintendent) "Parking is getting difficult, traffic is getting more difficult. Gas prices are rising. Transit is a good option and inexpensive option for the consumer."

34 bucks a month for unlimited rides...rides that may be getting easier to take soon...

(Ronald Kelly - City of Minot Bus Driver) "If you can fit the bus into your schedule...it is a very economical way to ride." (Brian Horinka - City Transit Superintendent) "I would like to see a big city transit system in small town Minot is what I am shooting for."

In Minot, Perry Olson, KX News.

The website where you can take the survey is MinotBusStudy.com.

It will take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete.