VALPARAISO | The city is seeking about a $32,500 increase in Valparaiso University's subsidy for the V-Line operation. Judging by the September student ridership, it would be a bargain.
The VU student senate approved $187,593 toward the first year's operation of the system last year to cover the Brown Route, which stops at the campus. Assistant City Planner Tyler Kent, who met again with the students Monday, is asking for $220,000 for the second year because of increased operating costs from the hours of operation and fuel.
The funds come from the student activities fee and allow the students to ride the bus simply by showing their student identification. For September, the first full month of classes since the summer break, 2,744 students flashed their IDs and rode the bus. That's almost double the previous ridership high at the end of the last school year.
The Brown Route ridership pushed the overall total to 6,512 for the month, beating the previous high in August of about 4,800. Ridership on the other two routes dipped slightly to 1,738 on the Yellow and 1,543 on the Green. The Orange Route to the South Shore's Dune Park station was 487.
"I love it," Brian Whitmer, a VU sophomore management major from Akron, Ohio, said of the V-Line. "I take the line pretty much every other day to Wal-Mart, the movie theater and pretty much everywhere because I don't have a car. I recommend it for freshmen who can't have a car on campus, but I think everybody enjoys using it."
Jenna Kennedy, a senior from Detroit majoring in international business, said she used the Orange Route a couple of times last year and plans to use the Brown Route this year. She lives off campus and has a bicycle for transportation. She said the bus is going to be an attractive option when the weather gets bad.
"I think the university is starting to advertise it a little more, and the students coming back know the service is there," V-Line General Manager Ryan Landers said. "Word of mouth from them to the new students is definitely catching on. People have gotten to the point where they are used to the routes, which also helps, and they like the service."
Kent said the city will begin installing some shelters this fall where new sidewalks are being installed, including at Valparaiso Care and Rehabilitation Center on Wall Street.
Landers said the initial goal was to try to reach 5,000 riders a month by the end of the first year. September easily topped that and this month is looking even more promising with 1,500 riders during the first five days, he said.
