VIA’s “Long Range Plan,” presented in several open forums to the public, outlines an extensive mapping of additional bus routes through the city, development of future high-capacity transit corridors, the addition of more conventional buses and the incorporation of improved technology for faster travel times. VIA officials indicate the plan is in the beginning stages with few definitive plans for Southside growth, but the company is optimistic they are promoting changes that San Antonio needs.
“San Antonio is currently the largest metropolitan area in the nation to be served by a bus-only public transportation system,” writes VIA’s Board Chairman Henry R. Munoz in the “Long Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan for Bexar County.”
The report continues, “ VIA Metropolitan Transit seeks to move beyond buses to become a truly regional, multimodal transit agency.”
The report, with graphic representations for how VIA will expand, includes community feedback.
“SmartWaySA is the community outreach effort by which VIA has been involving the public and gathering input from the citizens in the development of the Long Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan,” said VIA Metropolitan Transit employee Andy Scheidt of in an email.
The SmartWaySA effort began in September 2009 with a series of workshops designed to introduce the long-range plan concept and to solicit input from the citizens, Scheidt said. In November 2009, VIA held a series of quadrant meetings across the city to gather additional input and to update the community on the plan’s progress.
“This effort was followed by another round of hearings in June 2010 and a round of open houses in January and February 2011.”
Currently VIA has 446 buses that provide service on 91 bus routes with over 7000 stops. Most of the “Long Range Plan” is designed to benefit downtown where there is a greater concentration of riders, but draft system plan maps for bus improvements show improvements planned for the South Side.
With yellow lines indicating where bus improvements are being made, VIA seems to have painted the South Side yellow. Two high-capacity corridors are illustrated to run through the largely rural area. Observing VIA’s expansion and vying for its own opportunities to expand, the University is working with VIA for transportation to negotiate improvements.
“Staff members have attended VIA planning meetings and held special meetings and ongoing discussions with VIA’s route planning manager,” said Marshall Lasswell, director of facilities and physical plant.
And though the campus located on Loop 410 S between Zarzamora and Moursund Roads lacks a bus stop now, “in the fall of 2011, students will have the opportunity to use the VIA bus transportation system,” Lasswell said.
But the improvements don’t end there, Lasswell explained.
“After plotting student addresses, VIA was able to determine areas with higher concentrations of TAMU-SA students. It is considering expanding services through the (north/south) 524 bus route to provide a connection between our new campus Multipurpose Building, PAC, and our Gillette campus. Another benefit of using a north/south route is that it will allow for convenient transfers from east/west bus lines.”
The “The Long Range” plan outlines other goals it projects it will reach, including faster bus times, with a 30-minute promise to get commuters from location to location.
“If you can get from here to there in 30 minutes in a car, we need to make sure that the transit systems we develop are about 30-40 minutes of the total travel time, because if it’s going to take you an hour and you can drive it in half an hour, who’s going to do it? It’s got to be competitive,” said Jacobs Transportation Regional Transit Manager John Kulpa.
Students who ride VIA weigh the costs on a daily basis.
“It takes two whole hours to get home on the bus system. I feel like a 30-minute promise would be the best thing that could happen to VIA,” said communications student Neal Garnes. “In a vehicle, the trip would take less than an hour, but for bus riders it is much slower.”
Students who commute via multiple bus routes have adjusted to VIA’s pace, no matter how problematic.
English major Christina Philen understands the need for additional routes. After her typical two-hour bus trip, “I get dropped off across Poteet-Jourdanton on Palo Alto, right by a church. It’s a quarter-mile walk from there to school. There’s a closer stop. I’d just have to take a different route and I’m used to this one.”
Though many would rather spend the money on gas for a more convenient trip time, the money saved by taking the bus may be more beneficial to others despite the inconveniences.
“I save between $150-$200 in gas. There’s just certain inconveniences you take on when you choose to ride the bus, like trip time and waiting outside in inclement weather,” Philen said.
While VIA does not control the skies, proposed changes will be closely watched by students commuting from all areas of the city, evaluating one bus trip at a time what beneficial changes are taking place.
