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Residents press Radford council to add bus shelter on Midkiff Lane; council explains current fare policy
Summary
A resident requested a bus shelter at Midkiff Lane near Riverbend Apartments and asked that the city restore fares or a low-cost pass. City staff said shelters require relocation costs and that fares were suspended during COVID and are currently not cost-effective to collect, with DRPT reimbursements helping offset operations.
At the July Radford City Council meeting, resident Beth Barber asked the council to install a bus shelter at the Midkiff Lane stop near Riverbend Apartments and noted that people were standing in rain without cover. Barber said she previously brought a petition requesting shelters and asked staff to revisit the Midkiff Lane location.
City officials said one shelter currently exists but is not in use and that moving a shelter is not a simple or low-cost task. Transit staff said the agency stopped collecting fares during the COVID-19 pandemic and found that collecting fares cost more than the revenue it generated. Melissa, a staff member who manages transit grant activity, said she requested a four-year reimbursement grant from the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to offset fares for eligible riders and that much of Radford Transit’s ridership is Radford University students who do not pay fares.
Councilors discussed operational options including condensing or adjusting routes to improve efficiency and potentially use savings to address shelter or ridership needs. No formal action to install the Midkiff Lane shelter or to reinstate fares was taken; councilors asked staff to explore options further.
The council noted that transit can reduce broader infrastructure costs and provide mobility for residents who have limited alternatives, and that the city seeks to keep Radford Transit available and affordable.
