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Advocate urges longer bus service hours and expanded access for riders with disabilities
Summary
A transit advocate asked the council to extend weekday and weekend bus service hours and suggested making fares free, citing reliance by disabled riders and workers with nonstandard hours.
Joshua (last name not specified), a longtime bus rider and disability advocate, told the City Council Sept. 23 that Cedar Rapids’ public bus hours limit mobility for people who work late shifts, work Sundays or rely on paratransit services.
Joshua said weekday fixed-route service currently operates roughly from 5:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., Saturday service from about 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and no Sunday fixed-route service. He urged the council and transit department to extend weekday hours to 10 p.m., expand Saturday service to run 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and consider fare-free or expanded service models to improve access for riders who cannot afford taxis or ride-hailing. Joshua said expanded service would increase safety and mobility for people with disabilities and lower-income riders and cited other cities that have experimented with free transit.
These comments were made during the meeting’s public input; no council action was taken at the Sept. 23 meeting.
