Growing up EZ

Felipa Araispe wants an EZ Rider bus route closer to Southside Senior Center.

Petra Baca wants a stop near her house.

Southside employee Dorinda Arroyos wants more bus stop shelters to protect patrons from the relentless sun while they wait for rides.

And everyone recently polled at the senior center is wondering about a route to Midland.

Just wait.

At a City Council briefing June 24, EZ Rider officials outlined some big changes to the bus system to keep up with its explosive growth, some expected to begin in October. A route to Midland isn't on the list yet, but local route changes, a possible fare increase and 15 new bus stop shelters are planned.

General Manager Edward Esparza said he's also looking for a new EZ Rider administration and maintenance facility that could serve taxis and rural transit providers like West Texas Opportunities. If these providers are willing to sign on, EZ Rider would be classified as a regional transportation provider instead of an urban one, opening the door to more state funding.

"We're thinking long-term," Esparza said, "In looking at the next 20 to 25 years, transit is going to increase."

A severe labor shortage and spiking fuel costs are putting a dark cloud over the bus system's plans.

Brent Clayton, chairman of the board that governs EZ Rider, said a worker shortage is "really hurting" the bus system, with drivers clocking several hundred hours of overtime monthly.

EZ Rider officials identified the shortage as the transit provider's biggest problem at the Council briefing, and Esparza said it's the main reason why the bus system is about $28,000 over its $2.7 million budget this year.

Transit board members cut route times to alleviate the problem, but Esparza regrets it considering more riders are hopping aboard than ever.

Odessa's ridership has increased 27 percent over last year.

"Fatigue isn't as much of an issue as having people come in on their days off," Clayton said. "It's more of a morale issue."

WHAT'S COMING

A series of public meetings in late July will be used to gauge opinion on a 25 percent fare increase.

Clayton said EZ Rider is feeling the fuel pinch like everyone else, and while he knows a fare increase wouldn't recoup all of those lost dollars, something's got to give.

EZ Rider has never increased fares, Clayton said, but a 25 percent fare increase could be imposed by October if public outcry isn't deafening.

Route changes will also be discussed at the July public meetings.

"We had a market analysis on the routes and saw some flaws," Esparza said. "We're not covering parts of the city."

He said a tweaked Route 5 would wind its way over to Tanglewood and come back inbound, but stops on Golder Avenue would still be covered. He said EZ Rider would use other routes to absorb whatever's lost on Route 5.

The bus system is also considering putting a stop on Electric Street on the city's south side.

 "The board will have to approve it, and we'll have open hearings," Esparza said. "Everything that we've adjusted, we've done (route) time checks for. We could meet the timelines."

THE NEXT FEW YEARS

Esparza and his colleagues are shopping for real estate for a new EZ Rider administration and maintenance facility.

Esparza said it could take up to three years to see the idea materialize, but if all goes as planned, the facility could mean more state funding for the bus system and a regional hub for rural transit providers that are taking care of maintenance and storage on their own right now.

Clayton said if they're willing to sign on, bus systems like West Texas Opportunities and possibly taxis could park their vehicles at the new hub and get any maintenance work taken care of there.

Those transit providers would still be managed separately from EZ Rider, but the centralized storage and maintenance agreement would put EZ Rider into a "regional" transportation provider category, allowing the bus system to apply for more state funding because of its increased responsibility.

"With that regional coordination we would be more competitive in securing state funds," Clayton said. "That would mean less money coming out of the budget from cities."

Esparza said it's too soon to tell how much a regional facility would cost. He said EZ Rider would need at least 10- to 12 acres of land, and a storage facility will need to be built large enough to fit rural providers and the 12 new bigger buses EZ Rider will get in December.

Federal dollars will pay for 80 percent of the new hub with state and local dollars making up the last 20 percent.

Esparza said he's looking at somewhere around Midland International Airport because of its centralized location.

AROUND THE BEND

EZ Rider's looking at a few big changes for next year and the next three to five years. Here's a quick look at what's on the table:

>> Fare increase: Public meetings are scheduled in late July to discuss raising EZ Rider fares by 25 percent. Current fare for regular service ranges from 50 cents to $1 depending on passenger age.

>> Fewert hours: EZ Rider's cut back service hours Monday through Friday by one hour. The new schedule is from 6:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

>> Route changes: Some route changes will be discussed with the public in late July. Route 5 has some dramatic changes planned to start servicing the Tanglewood area around Maple Avenue, and a Route 1 stop on Electric Street will also be considered.

>> New digs: EZ Rider officials are looking for a new administration/maintenance facility, possibly near Midland International Airport.

>> New shelters: The bus system has 30 new passenger shelters to be split between Odessa and Midland.