Extending public bus hours in Sioux City makes sense.
The City Council last week approved a $340,000 plan that would add a route in Morningside and pilot project to extend Transit System service for one hour each day for three months.
City buses currently run 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The city will also conduct a survey to identify potential changes to current service options.
Great idea. But the survey should focus on the needs and wants of those who use public transportation. If the right people are surveyed, we think the city will see this really isn’t a 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. kind of situation. Residents need access – to downtown, Moringside, the airport and other places – outside those hours.
If you're a current rider or would be more apt to use the service if the hours and routes were different, let your voices heard. The city is holding a public hearing on the proposed changes at 3 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the transit system office, 509 Nebraska St.
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Clearly, there’s more to do in Sioux City outside weekday business hours. Perhaps we’re really a noon to midnight kind of town in some areas. Maybe certain jobs start before 6 a.m. Maybe Sunday is day to consider.
Evening events are practically off limits if you don’t have a car or the means to get a cab or other transportation. Many restaurant jobs require workers to stay later than the buses run. If a potential worker has no way to get home after work, some evening shifts may go unfilled. With expanded transit hours, restaurant owners might be able to attract staff and stay open. Some retailers may have similar needs.
Add in schools (late college classes, for example) and entertainment offerings (at the Tyson Events Center and the Orpheum Theatre) and it doesn’t take much to understand the need for public transportation when the public needs it.
During COVID, many jobs disappeared. Without customers, there was no need for staff and, in turn, transportation. Now, with Siouxlanders eager to go out, there often isn’t enough staff for some places to operate.
Crafting a less generic bus schedule might be the answer to two observations:
1. We can’t find workers.
2. There’s nothing to do in Sioux City.
Clearly, the city teems with both. The solution could lie in finding a way to get those people to places they want to go.
In the end, it could make “cents” for everyone.