Letter to the Editor: Elected Leaders Should Increase Support for Public Transit

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For anyone wanting to arrive at their destination easily, public transit can do that. I'm voicing my support for increasing funding for transit and paratransit service in our state transportation budget.

I live in Centralia and take the bus for transportation. I love Twin Transit because the drivers are great and it’s a simple, easy-to-understand system. I rely on transit to get to Walmart, the grocery store, to restaurants and to my work. I want to see Twin Transit flourish and continue to expand service. I wish the bus went to more places in our community. I think more people would ride transit if the routes weren’t so limited. For example, I would love to see a route that connects to Olympia, because I think a lot of people who commute to Olympia for work could save a lot of money on gas if there was a bus. I’d also love to see routes to Grand Mound and Napavine.

Expanding service could support our economy. With expanded public transit funding, that investment means we can help more riders get riding. More people riding the bus means more of us could get to jobs, to the store, to eat out. This will spur tax growth and help improve our local communities.

Public transit is a tool that links everyone together and helps riders out that would be helpless without it. From the parent trying to get a job interview, to a senior citizen going to pick up their medications, public transit is the light of hope for so many.

So I urge our elected leaders to support transit and increase funding for this critical service in our budget.



 

Joshua Major

Centralia