First, let me start off by saying that I am not a normal Greenville Transit Authority bus rider. I am, however, retired from a worldwide company, and it was my job to make certain a very demanding “transportation” system operated effectively and efficiently. I am now just a retired citizen of Greenville.

Since we returned to Greenville eight years ago, my wife and I have noticed (and remarked about) the noticeably empty buses moving around the city. The lack of efficiency bothered me enough to get in touch with the executives running the Greenville Transit Authority. They offered to meet with me, but I told them I needed to experience, firsthand, the bus system before we met. I did just that, then we met. I told them of my experience and offered some suggestions, but I think they are mostly focused on the money. They believe more money will solve all the ills. I disagree. In my business experience, I saw this “easy path” solution suggestion over and over again. It was rarely the true solution. We usually just ended up with a more expensive problem! I understand that Charleston, Knoxville, etc. spend more, but are they truly more effective? Additionally, Greenville is its own city with different demographics, different employment opportunities and very different economic development and housing.

I think it’s time for the Greenville Transit Authority to stop and rethink this. Take the time to truly analyze the need, the economics of that need and then figure out how to best meet the majority of those goals while maintaining some semblance of economic sense. In government sometimes, it’s difficult for the people in charge to understand that the historical path  should be at least questioned. Times change, demographics change, needs change. To continue to run around Greenville with buses that are mostly empty is not a good thing.

Rob Traynham
Simpsonville, S.C.

The post Op-ed: More money won’t fix Greenville’s mass transit appeared first on GREENVILLE JOURNAL.