Campus Area Bus Services may be forced to cut routes due to a lack of funding.
CABS is run on the money it generates from parking passes, fees and parking garages, and that is simply not enough anymore, said Joseph Newhard, undergraduate student government traffic and parking representative on the committee. Newhard is a member of various other groups such as the Ohio State — COTA PAC and the traffic and parking task force.
“We presently spend about 30 percent of our total parking budget on the CABS service and we need to build more parking for our customers,” said Sarah Blouch, director of transportation and parking services. “Our target is to try and cut 25 percent of our current budget for CABS.”
One parking garage costs about $20,000 to build and two are in the process of being built, Blouch said.
The loss of CABS routes would affect many students, which has lead campus leaders to take action in making the effects as minimal as possible.
“We are trying to work between COTA and CABS to keep up the routes and hopefully COTA will take over some of the cut routes,” said Eddie Pauline, USG president.
The COTA bus system is already getting more money than it needs from the students by charging a $9 fee per quarter from every student, when many students don’t even use the COTA bus service, Pauline said.
“USG will make sure that the COTA fee students pay will be used in a way that will make up for the losses in CABS, if CABS were to cut the residential routes, COTA will take these over,” Newhard said.
However, this is all speculation at this time because no decisions have been made. Newhard said a committee is being formed to discuss the possible cuts.
Another option is having students pay a fee for the CABS services, similar to the COTA fee per quarter, Newhard said.
Blouch said CABS use to have a bus fee, but those that bought parking passes rode for free.
This idea may not generate enough money to keep routes running because CABS gets no help from federal funding, Blouch said.
“Most transit authorities, like COTA can keep fares reasonable because they are subsidized with federal funds. CABS is not subsidized in this manner,” Blouch said. “Our average cost per ride is $1, we provide over four million rides per year and spend $4 million. If students prefer to pay a fare for every ride, that’s an option that can be considered in lieu of a cut.”
But with tuition steadily rising –and students already paying a COTA fee — USG does not want to see students paying another fee, Newhard said.
Nominations for the committee are being sent in now and it will be up to its members to decide the fate of the CABS services, Blouch said.
The committee will be responsible for giving Transportation and Parking feedback and an understanding of the priorities of students and faculty, Blouch said.
“What I personally want to see is an increase in bus service, as the campus loop buses are entirely too crowded during class changes and the students are herded onto these busses like cattle,” Newhard said. “The students deserve better than this.”
Whatever the outcome of the committee, there will not be any immediate changes to the CABS services, Pauline said.
“Some changes could take place when COTA renews our contract in two years, but we won’t see any changes in this school year,” Pauline said.
Newhard said USG is working hard with COTA and CABS to ensure the best deal for students.
“Our goal is to keep any fee increase small and hopefully there will be none at all,” Newhard said, “especially with the rising cost of tuition and, at the same time make sure that the current level of bussing continues well into the future.”
