Bus service until 10 p.m. urged for Carson City

A meeting to seek public input on developing a five-year plan for the Jump Around Carson (JAC) city bus system attracted people seeking changes in service.

Transportation Manager Patrick Pittenger said the late Tuesday afternoon and evening session was aimed at taking residents’ pulse on such things as different hours, routes or related aspects regarding the reach of bus service around Carson City. For example, current service doesn’t include Sundays, runs hourly and doesn’t cover all locales.

Among several residents on hand was Dee Dee Foremaster of the Rural Center for Independent Living (RCIL) and Do Drop In Center, who wanted so see service hours extended into the night.

“My big thing is, I’d like the bus to run until 10 o’clock at night,” she said. She said there is no public transportation, for example, for people interested in taking night classes at Western Nevada College on the city’s north side.

Another request came from a woman seeking a bus stop outside Frost-Yasmer Estates, an assisted-living apartment complex on Fifth Street. Foremaster and Pittenger suggested she have fellow residents at Frost-Yasmer provide their wishes for such a bus stop as well.

Pittenger said development of a five-year plan for service is a short-time horizon compared with federal requirements for a 20-year plan. He said that while city government is proud of the JAC system, there is room to grow if financial resources can be found.

“Right now,” he said, “what we have is a minimal system.”

Plans are to hold more such forums for public input. Tuesday’s 4:30-6:30 p.m. session was an open house for drop-ins in the Community Center’s Bonanza Room.