Budget cuts hit GLTC

Questions and concerns — Students worry about how GLTC changes could affect their ability to get around town. Photo credit: Julie Ochoa

Company struggles to avoid changes

The earthquake was not the only thing to shake things up in Lynchburg recently.

The Greater Lynchburg Transit Company announced significant budget slashes to its operation, which caused an outcry from Lynchburg bus riders at the public meetings held Aug. 18 and 19.

“No changes have been made as of this date but there will be a board meeting at the end of this month (to determine what actions will take place),” GLTC General Manager Mike Carroll said.

Many Liberty University students, including sophomore Emily Hoffman, are concerned about what budget cuts at GLTC means for the future of the Lynchburg city buses and LU Transit. GLTC partners closely with Liberty University, supplying buses and additional resources to the campus.

“At my work, they need me to work closing shifts, and I have to work so I can bring money in to pay for school,” Hoffman said. “They need me to work closing shifts. If I can’t get back to campus, I have to look for another job. I need to know what will happen to the campus buses and city buses.”

The budget crisis and subsequent changes at GLTC will not affect bus services on Liberty University’s campus, Carroll and Assistant General Manager for Operations Josh Moore said.

“As far as the bus service on campus, it is set up based on a contract that was established at the beginning of the year,” Liberty Transit Office liaison Jim Spencer said.

The contract specifies the amount of buses that will operate on campus and when they will run. Contract holding, the current bus systems on campus will not change this year.

The amount of buses available on campus will not be downsized, Spencer said.

In 2009, American Public Transportation Association awarded GLTC the Outstanding Transit System Achievement Award in honor of their collaboration with LU Transit, LU Transit’s website said.

“We work closely with the Liberty administration,” Carroll said.

Currently, the LU Transit 4F bus runs off campus to locations such as River Ridge Mall, Candlers Station, The Plaza and Wards Road. On weekdays it runs from 5:45 a.m. to its last stop at The Plaza at 9:45 p.m. On Sundays it runs from 9:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

Another LU Transit bus that runs off campus is the 84. It stops at places such as Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy and Chick-Fil-A. The bus’s latest stop is 9:55 p.m. at Target.

Liberty’s campus transit will not change this year but students who use the Lynchburg bus routes may still encounter problems.

For use of bus services to off-campus locations other than LU Transit buses, students can still use the GLTC bus services for free with their Flames Pass, the LU Transit website said. However, students may now be restricted by whatever changes the GLTC board of directors makes.

GLTC held public meetings to hear the concerns of the Lynchburg community regarding possible solutions to the budget crisis, GLTC’s website said.

The front running solution to the budget crisis was completely eliminating bus service in Lynchburg on Sunday and stopping bus routes earlier at night. Consequently, that budget crisis remedy received the most backlash from the citizens.

“(The main concerns of the citizens were) the night service, primarily, and the Sunday service. Just, cutting the service in general,” Moore said.

Currently, GLTC buses run until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They run 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.

After hearing the concerns of citizens regarding bus service changes, GLTC is looking at other ways to effectively deal with the budget crisis. GLTC management is considering internal cuts, Carroll said. Management is also considering decreasing frequency in bus stops or making cuts in routes apart from evening and Sunday routes.

“If the city buses don’t run late, the campus should make certain their buses run late, especially for those of us who work,” Hoffman said.

In the current economic climate, many companies are suffering from financial problems. GLTC’s budget problems increased in line with increasing fuel and maintenance costs.

“The cost of service is outstripping available resources,” Carroll said. “We have to close the gap … or get more revenue.”

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