BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — Travel is a vital part of our everyday life, and that’s why it’s important to maintain our transit systems. On Monday, the second round of three meetings took place with the Bismarck Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization and Bis-Man Transit.

The public is encouraged to come to the meetings to voice their opinions and concerns about the transit system in our area.

During their most recent meeting, they talked about where their revenue comes from — and what it costs for these services to operate.

“We’re talking about in Bismarck and Mandan right now is that there is a gap between the revenue and the expenditures that is essentially a negative or a deficit situation,” said Director of Transit Planning, Bill Troe. “Primarily, the portion of the study that we’re moving into now is, how do we close that gap?”

Troe said that they presented some options Monday about how to fill this gap, but none of them were viable. He noted that there are thousands of people a year who use the paratransit or fixed transit systems — which is why it’s important for them to find a way to fill the gap.

“When you’re looking at the majority of the riders,” said Troe, “they’re either going to a job or for a medical visit. Those all create positives for the region. If I can get to my job every day on transit, that’s a positive for the region.”

The next meeting will be in May and that’s when the Bismarck Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization and Bis-Man Transit will tell the public how they are going to make more revenue for the transit systems.