One of the biggest challenges we face in effecting cultural change is that of unlearning stereotypes. For example, a common stereotype is that poor people ride the bus.  This stereotype is a major obstacle to changing our habits and adopting transportation methods similar to those in other countries, where busses and trains are used for daily transportation by all segments of society.

Currently in Humboldt County, city busses in Eureka and Arcata are easy to use and run with good frequency.  However, I would say that the Redwood Transit intercity bus system has two ridership components:  the desperate and the recreational. The desperate have no other means of transportation, and recreational riders are primarily young or retired people without stringent schedules. But repeated studies have cited trains and busses as the most economical ways to move people-everybody, not just the poor and disenfranchised or the retired.

Because I work seasonally, I have the luxury to use my vacation time exploring my personal stereotypes and experimenting with other ways of being, including a serious look at my personal transportation options.  I call it practicing for the future.  This year, I am imagining that I don't have a car.

I live within a five-minute walk of the bus stop at the northern end of the Redwood Transit System (RTS) service area.  RTS has clean, new, low emission busses, but service is sporadic to and from our end-of-line stop, and as a result, scarcely anyone rides. I refuse to believe this is because nobody wants to ride the bus.  I prefer to believe that our stereotype of American bus riders, and our expectations of our transportation systems' reliability, dissuade us from considering the bus our best option.

Bus ridership will not increase, even if gas prices skyrocket, because the bus does not serve the needs of  many POTENTIAL riders-that is, general commuters. Potential bus riders may want to see a movie or attend a meeting in town, but don't want to drive after dark. They expect mobility on Sundays. They need access to transportation that aligns with shift work. Or they might be travelers connecting to the airport, but not wanting to park there for a week.

There is excellent daytime commuter service in the corridor between Eureka and Arcata. The needs of HSU students are well considered, thanks to the Jack Pass, and College of the Redwoods is also served. But potential riders in the outlying areas need easy access to the well-served corridor.

This points to our need for transportation coordination.  Shuttle loops to outlying areas would help. Better pedestrian and bicycle routes, connecting with bus service would also be good. Secure bicycle storage at bus stops would be fantastic for those who cycle to their initial stop, but don't want to take their bike to work

Additionally, we lack connections for travelers who want to use Amtrak or Greyhound services. Humboldt's public ground transportation links to the "outside world" remain nightmarish. Should it take a hundred dollars and more than twelve hours to go to Redding by bus?

And finally, let's consider how the placement of transit stops affects their use, and our communities.  Remember your last European vacation when you waited for the bus or train at that civilized little place with a coffee bar and a newspaper kiosk, out of the rain? We should locate bus stops where a half-hour wait could be well utilized.

These are just a few thoughts.  A huge amount of funding has recently been earmarked to improve a piece of Scenic Drive which has perpetually been falling into the ocean and will continue to do so regardless of repair because the road was originally routed on unstable ground. Money exists, we just need to route it into useful and sustainable transportation needs.  And if the right buses are there, people WILL ride them!

This appeared as an Op-ed piece in the McKinleyville Press this week.