Making sure people can catch a bus is Kurt Scheible's job. Making that ride on the bus faster is what he and his team are working on now.
"We were taking 10 to 15 people a day and making them go all through those neighborhoods," Scheible tells gathering riders.
This is the first of several meetings spread through the city, and in the first 30 minutes, Scheible is bombarded with questions.
"I want to know what's good about the system. I also want to know what's bad about it. Do I need to reassess where we did something? Do I have to look at areas that may have slipped through the cracks?" Scheible said.
He says there are already a number of comments that people have about where the routes will go.
"To change the route up at the north end by AmericInn and Goose Creek, to change the route a little bit there. Once he said it, it makes perfect sense," Scheible said after listening to a rider's comment.
The plan is to make traveling the bus system quicker by cutting the number of routes and stops. Some people are concerned that some of those changes may keep some riders away from the bus.
"He's going to be servicing less of an area here than here because this is a two lane road," a rider says in response to a route change.
Scheible says the plan can change, and it's far from a finished product.
"So, what you're saying is that we move the route from Division to Marquette?" Scheible asks a rider.
"If you have to choose between the two, that would be the better of the two. I don't think you should have to choose between the two, but if you have to, yes," the rider said.
Riders will use the power of their voice, and the pen on a comment card, to help make the route changes as efficient as possible.
There will be meetings held for citizens to attend and share feedback. The meeting times are as follows:
- October 21 from 4:30 - 7:30 PM at the Eastern Avenue Library
- October 22nd from 7:00-9:00 AM at the Police Department Community Room
- October 22nd from 12:00-3:00 PM at the Fairmount Library
- October 24th from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Eastern Avenue Library
- October 21st from 7:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Welcome Way Hub
- October 21st from 7:00 AM-4:00 PM at the Ground Transportation Center
- October 21st from 1:30-3:30 PM at the Bettendorf Hub
- October 22nd from 9:30-11:30 AM at the Walmart Hub