General Transportation still a go, but with changes

Loretta George/Tribune photo Gary Wise, driver for Fort Scott General Public Transportation does his daily post-trips inspection on his transit vehicle Tuesday afternoon, as he goes off shift. Busses are now parked near the Headstart Program facility at Fourth and Judson Streets. An added phone number and a 24 hour advance notice requirement are the major changes since Southeast Kansas Community Action Program took over the system.

Several changes have taken place at General Public Transportation in Fort Scott.

The buses are no longer parked at Bourbon County Senior Citizens in the evening and an additional phone number is available to riders of the transit, (620) 224-4702. The other number for transportation remains the same (620) 224-0360.

One major change is riders must call at least 24 hours in advance of their need to schedule a ride.

"It makes it easier to schedule rides," Steve Lohr, executive director of Southeast Kansas Community Action Program said. "You can't run a bus like a taxi...This is the best system that we have found. This system is how we operate all our buses except a fixed route in Pittsburg."

Lohr said about 500 trips were provided in July in Bourbon County by the system.

The hours and charges remain the same.

Operating hours for the service are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. The charges for rides are $3 each way for one stop. Multi-ride passes may only be accessed at the center through the Bourbon County Senior Citizens. There is no charge for a ride to the center to purchase a pass.

Gary Wise is still a driver and Charlene Bruns is still dispatcher. In addition there is a new driver, Gene Collier. Jacqueline Sellers no longer has a job with General Public Transportation.

"The only one who lost a job with transportation is me, which made it easier for me," Sellers said. "I'm still center coordinator for Bourbon County Senior Citizens."

Bourbon County Senior Center employees or volunteers are no longer involved in scheduling rides, according to the SEKCAP press release. All calls to schedule a ride are routed to the driver, though some limited dispatching remains in place. Drivers do not answer the phone when they are behind the wheel and actively transporting a rider. Therefore if no one answers, callers should leave a message including their name and phone number. Calls will be returned as promptly as possible.

Representatives of General Public Transportation and Southeast Kansas Community Action Program (SEK-CAP) met in May to finalize an agreement to continue providing public transportation in Fort Scott.

General Public Transportation provides transit services for the general public, senior citizens and disabled individuals, but in recent years increased expenses and decreases in funding have created questions about continued public transit for the community.

"There was a decision by Bourbon County Senior Citizens to work with SEK-CAP to transition the (transportation) program to our control," Steve Lohr, executive director of SEK-CAP, said in an earlier Tribune report. The transition took place July 1.

Anyone having questions about general public transportation or the SEK-CAP/BCSC partnership may call (620) 724-8204, extension 1024.