SPRINGFIELD — As Springfield city leaders plan to replace traditional public transportation with a private ride-sharing company, residents who rely on the bus service are worried about the change to come.
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Springfield City Commission held a work session recently where they decided to take the Springfield City Area Transit (SCAT) off the streets in a couple of months.
Instead, the city wants to implement the use of Via Transportation, a small private transportation company that uses multi-person vans. This new system forces riders to book rides online or by phone.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, Via Transportation uses Toyota Siennas to provide what the company calls ‘on-demand, micro-transit.’
Springfield residents are expected to get rides 15-20 minutes after booking a ride online or by phone. The ride service says the vans can take multiple riders headed in the same general direction.
Audrey Feaster told News Center 7 she’s worried about the plan to switch from buses to vans because she relies on public transportation to go ‘everywhere.’
“Go pay my bills, go to the store, to the doctor, everything, you know, I need buses,” Feaster said.
Feaster said she has concerns about how the vans will pick her up in a timely manner and what the booking process will look like.
“You’ve got to call two days ahead and sometimes they’ll be full. They said you have to wait until the next day before you can get it, but they might not have any vans,” Feaster said.
Seniors and mobility-impaired riders are among the residents concerned about the vans’ efficacy.
“There are still people that use SCAT that can’t get around, especially in my apartment building for the elderly,” Springfield resident Nancy Harrington said.
Another concern riders had was the price.
News Center 7’s Mike Campbell spoke with a SCAT rider who said she can buy a 10-ride bus pass for about $8.
Via Transportation told city leaders they expect their rides to cost $2 a piece. Feaster said these costs will add up for her if she has to make multiple stops.
“I need the bus because I ain’t trying to get a car right now,” Feaster said.
Springfield has another public meeting scheduled for Monday, May 5, where the implications of this transportation switch may be discussed further.
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