Senior citizens on school buses? Why not?
EAST GRAND FORKS -- Recently, news reports told of a partnership between businesses and a local Minnesota public-transit povider promoting the establishment of "fixed transit routes" to help workers from outlying areas get to larger communities for work.
This shows a creative problem-solving approach in these times of high energy costs, an approach that would let people live in their smaller communities but work in neighboring towns.
There is talk about further collaborative efforts being made in Minnesota and North Dakota along these lines. I hope some of these efforts will be in the works as both legislatures convene in 2009.
One effort is being undertaken in the far southwestern regions of North Dakota. This collaboration lets senior citizens and others ride the morning and evening routes of the school buses. The buses usually pass by the farms or ranches of those affected, anyway. The adult using this transportation may spend the day at medical appointments, a senior citizen center, church events, shopping or merely visiting with friends in town.
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What a novel idea! Many of today's school buses are equipped with chair-lift devices for those with mobility impairments.
I often see school buses entering or leaving a community with fewer than half of the seats filled. Why not open those seats up to nonstudents, who would be charged a fee for the service?
Obviously, this would not be a demand/response mode of travel, but could be a win for both the consumer and those providing bus services.
And, maybe it would have a positive effect upon the behavior of a student if "grandma" also was riding the bus.
John Johnson
Johnson is an advocate/trainer at the Options Center for Independent Living in East Grand Forks.
