Fare Adjustment and Service Change Public Meetings

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) will hold a series of public meetings in July to discuss proposed fare adjustments slated to go into effect in January 2009 and January 2010. The RTC will also consider proposed service changes for 2009.

The meetings will be held at the following locations on the date and time specified:

Thursday, July 24, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,

CSN Cheyenne Campus, Room 1443

3200 E. Cheyenne, North Las Vegas, NV 89030

Friday, July 25, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.,

Clark County Library, Large Conference Room

1401 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,

Mirabelli Community Center

6200 Hargrove Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89107

Tuesday, July 29, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,

West Las Vegas Library, Conference Room A/B

951 West Lake Mead Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89106

Comments will be accepted through Aug. 4, 2008, and can be e-mailed to bradfordd@rtcsnv.com, made online at rtcsnv.com, faxed to Doug Bradford at 676-1589, phoned into 676-1711, or mailed via USPS to:

RTC, 600 S. Grand Central Pkwy.,

Suite 350, Las Vegas, NV 89106,

Attention: Fare Policy Outreach.

The RTC is proposing an increase in a single ride from $1.25 to $1.75, and an increase in the daypass rate from $2.50 to $4.00. Monthly pass prices would increase from $40 to $55.

Passengers on the Deuce strip routes would see prices go up from a $2 single ride and $5 daypass to $3 and $7 respectively.

CAT will be adding a three-day full-fare pass on the Deuce for $20.

I can certainly understand the need for a fare hike to handle the huge runup in fuel prices, if nothing else. Kudos, by the way, for the RTC's addition of 60 Diesel-electric hybrid buses. Too bad the 90 double decker buses aren't hybrids, but they sure are comfortable.

The RTC has done it's part to hide this information, but they did walk me through the easiest way to access this new fare information. Go to the RTC website at rtcsnv.com, and in the search box at the top of the page, type in “fare adjustment” without the quotes. (Blog readers can go there directly by clicking here!) I pointed that out to the RTC rep that called me, and they said they would speak to their web people. I'm not holding my breath.

The truly sad part about CAT is that I really want to support them. But the RTC and contractor Veolia Transportation have done a very mediocre job of making the experience tolerable. Our past columns on document the worst of the worst, and sadly, the experience isn't getting much better. Unruly passengers, no air conditioning at temperatures outside over 100 and inside over 120, and discourteous drivers have made my last few weeks riding on a CAT bus such that I won't miss it.

Part of the problem is the pay scale of drivers would be excellent just about anywhere else in the country, but here in Las Vegas it's not so good. As an example, my wife was making nearly $15 an hour as a food service cashier at a non-union property. CAT drivers, who have far more responsibility and liability, make far less than that.

And, as we've documented, some deserve less!

Still, while fare increases won't necessarily go into the drivers pockets, they are needed just to keep the buses rolling.

Blame Congress for not letting oil companies drill in ANWAR and offshore!

Common sense finally prevailed as the Third Circuit Court threw out the FCC's fining of CBS over “Nipplegate”, the exposure of what purported to be the breast of Janet Jackson during the otherwise boring snoozefest that was the 2004 Superbowl XXXVIII halftime show. It was a show that no one should have been watching. It was just that bad.

As for Janet, I love her, but I've seen better...

Wyatt Cox knows his breasts, and visits the Colonel's place to indulge in one frequently. Visit him at rant.wyattcox.net