As the population in northwest Arkansas has increased, so has the need for public transportation, according to officials with Ozark Regional Transit.
Joel Gardner, executive director of ORT, spoke at both the Pea Ridge and Garfield City Council meetings requesting a contribution.
There are two main forms of service, Gardner explained -- the demand system and the guaranteed route.
Gardner asked for $3,000 from Pea Ridge and $1,000 from Garfield.
"That's a big paradigm shift," Pea Ridge Mayor Jackie Crabtree said to his council. "We're getting people moving in here who are used to a transit system; they're not used to getting in their cars to go somewhere."
Gardner explained that ORT receives money from Washington County and has previously focused more on Washington County.
"We did a lot more in Washington than Benton County because we had a $129,790 stipend to run a fixed rural route from West Fork to Lincoln and back. It was a huge success and has been funded for a second year," Gardner said.
"Benton County took us through 2014 and asked us to show the need," he explained, adding that with the demand-response model, there were 3,700-6,400 trips in Benton County alone. "Apparently that wasn't enough proof for Benton County Quorum Court."
He said that for 2015, the Quorum Court gave him $15,000; Bentonville gave $125,000; and Rogers gave $199,000.
"That $15,000 is with a caveat," Gardner said. "It will go up to $64,000 if we can get the other cities to give. And, Bentonville, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Bella Vista don't count."
"What kind of funding can you give us?" Gardner asked city officials in Pea Ridge and Garfield.
Gardner said that there is a need in Pea Ridge, Little Flock, Avoca and Pea Ridge and says even just getting NorthWest Arkansas Community College students to ride the transit buses would help alleviate traffic on the roads.
Garfield Mayor Gary Blackburn said the city budget is reevaluated every quarter and the request will be considered.
General News on 02/11/2015