Thank you, Joe, for doing what you said you would do!
Throughout my lifetime, I have heard a lot of public servants, civic officials, and politicians make promises and swear to bring about changes of one sort or another. Many of the promises have faded into oblivion, and many changes didn’t happen, usually because no money was available to make them happen. In my 80 years, I have become so accustomed to that pattern being reality that I have grown cynical. Recently, however, one person in our community has convinced me that there may be a few people who understand what it is to be a true public servant. Joe Clark, our new Twin Transit director, appears to be fulfilling his promises and also bringing about change.
Before Joe was hired, I met with a few civic officials to discuss some of the tasks that a new bus director would need to address. The two concerns high on my own list of issues were those of integrating the bus into the fabric of our community so more people would be aware of it and would use it and also resolving the issue of bus stops on the northbound side of Market Street in Chehalis. Since being hired, Joe has stated publicly that he would address both those issues, and this past week I have seen evidence that he is doing just that!
For one thing, Twin Transit offered free shuttle service this past weekend between the airport and downtown Chehalis for people who wanted to take in the activities of the recent festival without having to drive and park at the two sites. Also, Twin Transit is offering kids an opportunity to ride the bus free until early September — a great way to introduce young people to public transit riding! Twin Transit is also investigating the possibility of expanding the vanpool system to make places of employment more accessible to people in outlying areas of the county.
The best news of all, however, for people who live in Chehalis is that work has begun on the Market Street pullouts! The pullouts will take a while to construct, but they have been started. When the pullouts are finished, those of us who now have to risk our lives by crossing Market will be able to catch our bus safely. We also will be able to shop at Safeway without pushing Granny carts across Market or risking dropping our groceries in the middle of the street as we cross! Good work, Joe!
Joe Clark sees the needs of bus riders and is working hard to make riding the bus as safe and pleasant an experience as possible — signs of a true public servant. Thank you, Joe!
Jean Fairgrieve
Chehalis
