To the editor:

At a recent meeting in Freeland sponsored by Island Transit, at which they answered questions and provided information about Island Transit services, the following questions were posed:

Q: What will happen if you do not get the additional tax revenue?

A: We will have to discontinue Saturday services.

Q: What does it cost to operate the system on Saturday?

A: $90,000.

Q: What is the ridership level on Saturday?

A: 1,500 to 1,600.

Simple math says it cost an average of $50 to $60 per passenger for a one-way ride on the bus, or $100 to $120 per passenger round trip. That is a huge waste of taxpayer money to provide service to a limited number of people.

Unfortunately, management at Island Transit thinks it is appropriate to spend that level of money to provide services to as many people as possible at all costs. Their management practices prohibit them from looking at a cost justification for ridership. My guess is that if they looked at evening/late night services on all routes, they could eliminate some of those, and keep the more popular ridership routes on Saturday.

Management, at this same meeting, argued that the service is FREE. Well, if it’s free, why do they need more money? Management needs to realize that they are dependent on taxpayers, and that they need to demonstrate that they can spend taxpayer dollars wisely.

If they can’t cost-justify routes, why should we all give them more money to waste? While I am generally supportive of the “free” ride on Island Transit, I do not support the request for more tax revenue to support a service that wastes taxpayer dollars.

R. Boehm

Greenbank