Yes, indeed, in Centralia and Chehalis the wheels on our Twin Transit buses do continue to go round and round; they do it well now, and they will be doing it even better in the future. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, and on Wednesday, Oct. 9, I attended meetings held by Twin Transit Director Joe Clark and members of his staff.
Not only were the meetings designed to give the public information but also to gather information from all people who have a stake in Twin Transit—everyone who pays the sales tax that supports the system.
Clark structured the meetings so that approximately one third of each meeting was a brief presentation of plans for the bus system’s future, one third was a chance for each person to participate in a survey, and one third was a break-out session for small group discussion. Some of the topics we discussed in the small groups were safety at bus stops, routes and schedules, and placement of shelters.
In each group, a member of Twin Transit’s staff took notes and asked for clarification when needed. From the attitudes of the staff members, I could tell that the representatives of Twin Transit took our views and concerns seriously and that the bus company will consider our input in making future decisions.
If you did not attend either of the two meetings this week, you missed a lot of good news! For example, you missed learning that plans for Twin Transit include the following:
• The Sunday schedule will soon be expanded.
• Riders who want to get to some of the major stops in a hurry will soon be able to hop onto a “Racetrack” bus that will make their trip faster.
• Twin Transit will be constructing two bus stops in the northbound lane of Market Boulevard in Chehalis the next few weeks, and in the spring, when the weather improves, the company will construct two more stops, for a total of four stops between Safeway and the library.
• Plans are being drawn up that will increase the number of Park N’ Ride lots for people commuting to our area.
• The bus company is preparing for “green” buses by setting up a battery recharge system to serve the bus system. In the future, this recharging system may be available to vehicles from other agencies. Twin Transit can be a vital resource in times of disaster.
The above items are just a few of the changes coming to our community bus system. If you did not make it to either meeting this week, I encourage you to go to the Twin Transit website (www.twintransit.org) or the Twin Transit Facebook page and check into the powerpoint presentation Clark posted after the meeting. I hope you participate in the survey because your voice is important! See you at future meetings!
Jean Fairgrieve
Chehalis
