GUEST COMMENTARY: Do we have political will to fund bus service?

"Why do we need buses? Everyone has a car."

"No one rides buses in Northwest Indiana. They're a costly waste of money."

I often hear statements like these, but how true are such comments? Our local buses are not packed with people, and at times a bus might even be empty for part of the route, but there's more to the story.

Do we need buses? The people who ride them certainly think so. Ridership on the Regional Bus Authority's easygo's fixed route system is steadily increasing -- more than 27,000 rides in October alone, as determined by federal guidelines.

Why don't people just drive their cars where they want to go? Believe it or not, not everyone has a car. Some are too young or too old to drive, but beyond that many people who have cars can't afford to repair them or have only one car, which is needed by a family member for work, leaving everyone else without transportation.

If people had an alternative, they would not be waiting to catch a bus that runs only every half hour or maybe even only hourly. For the people who use them, buses are an irreplaceable lifeline.

Of course, people have different public transportation needs.

In the more urban areas, fixed route service is appropriate and is widely used in Hammond, East Chicago and Gary and also in closely adjacent suburban communities.

Along U.S. 30 and farther south, demand/response is a more the appropriate service. The population is not dense enough for fixed route service, but demand/response (calling ahead to be picked up) is critical to the dialysis patient who is otherwise isolated or an older person needing to go to the grocery store. The need is so great for this service that people must make reservations at least two days in advance; many schedule their rides two weeks ahead.

So public transportation needs are not a north-south issue, but the nature of service in the two areas is different. Both types (fixed route and demand/response) are needed, as is the third type -- paratransit for disabled individuals.

Providing public transportation is actually cost-effective. On easygo's fixed route system, the current net operating cost per ride is under $10. Paratransit is, of course, more costly -- around $18.

In summary, Lake County residents need public transportation. They use it. It is cost-effective, but it will come to an end the middle of next year unless a permanent funding source is found.

Fare box revenue does not cover the cost. A public funding source is needed (which is true nationwide). Can we summon the political courage to add a small tax dedicated exclusively to public transportation? If action isn't taken soon, time will answer that question for us.

Cal Bellamy is a partner with Kreig DeVault. The opinion expressed in this column is the writer's and not necessarily that of The Times.