Imagine a convenient and comprehensive bus service that runs from 6AM to 10PM, offers service on weekends, runs every 15 minutes on major routes, and takes passengers to their workplaces, doctor appointments, athletic events, festivals, the state fair, the new downtown happenings—all the places people want to go when they want to go there.
For the past few months, the South Central Regional Transit District (SCRTD) has been experimenting with a regional bus transit system that could stretch from Elephant Butte and TorC to Sunland Park and Santa Teresa. Earlier this summer, the SCRTD partnered with local transit providers to introduce a few sample bus routes for people to try out. Here are some of the reasons a regional transit system could transform our region.
A very high transit need in Doña Ana and Sierra counties. Ten of the 15 populated areas in the region have transit needs higher than the national average. In seven of those communities, the gap between the need for transit and the existing transit availability is at a crisis level.
An aging population. More than 30 percent of New Mexico’s population will be over age 60 by the year 2030, an increase of nearly 50 percent from 2012. Many of our seniors will eventually no longer be able to drive. They want to know when they can expect bus service to Sonoma Ranch or Picacho Hills or Doña Ana.
“No shows” at health providers. Fifty percent of non-drivers age 65 and older stay home on any given day, partially because they lack transportation options. They make 15% fewer trips to doctors and 65% fewer trips for social, family, and religious activities. “No shows” are common at many of our health facilities, especially for patients who live in rural areas. Residents in the south valley report paying neighbors as much as $50 to take them to Las Cruces to pick up a prescription.
Reduced transportation costs mean more money for housing, food, and other needs. People move to the rural areas of our county to find housing they can afford. Keeping housing costs low, however, generally results in escalating transportation costs. If you live in the county and commute 35 miles each way to your job, you could spend as much as $10,000 a year to maintain a vehicle. Given the median Doña Ana County income of $37,500, that’s a big hit.
An increased job pool for our business community. Our call centers are continually expanding and looking for employees. They could attract more workers if a bus stopped at their front doors. From 900 to 1,000 new jobs are expected in our region in the next few months. Many of the good paying jobs are in Santa Teresa. Unfortunately, there is no bus service that might bring workers to those jobs, especially workers from the New Mexico communities that lie within commuting distance. Consequently, parking lots are filled with Texas license plates. Nationally, savings to businesses, by improving employers’ access to the labor market results in $10.1 billion to the U.S. economy.
Public transportation makes higher education more affordable. Public transportation access to higher education is like being given a scholarship. When students save money by not having the cost of the upkeep of a vehicle, they have more money to spend on tuition, books, and other education expenses.
Investing in public transportation makes economic sense. Across the U.S., savings to households due to less reliance on automobile use increases purchasing power by $18.4 billion per year. Every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic return. Public transportation investments generate 31% more jobs per dollar than new construction of roads and bridges. A well funded transit system can leverage that funding to bring in more federal and foundation funding and to engage in public/private partnerships.
There is considerable support for public transportation. In a survey conducted for the One Valley One Vision regional comprehensive plan, 72.8% of the respondents said they wanted more public transportation. In the City of Las Cruces community survey (2013), respondents were asked, “To mitigate traffic issues, should the region increase funding to public transportation?” Over 72% said they either strongly agreed or agreed.
There are many reasons for developing a robust regional bus service that is convenient, reliable, and that gets you where you want to go when you want to go there—a very high need for transit, an aging population, lack of access to medical care, greater disposable income, more money for housing, financial assistance for higher education, an expanded labor pool, higher employment, greater productivity, an increase in purchasing power, more shoppers and attendees at athletic events and festivals, a big return on investment, the ability to leverage federal funding, and a very high level of support. Transportation question will be on the November ballot.