Politics & Government

Village Council Forum: Question 10

Should the commuter shuttle bus be canceled?

Sean Durkin
Yes, it should be. Ridership is not up, and the expenditures are only there, and there is a major deficit in the budget that needs to be balanced. The last I looked it was over $1 million.

John Page
I think it's not fiscally responsible to keep it the way it is right now. If we don't restructure it, we simply can't afford it.

Gregory Hosé
I think the transition to the Highland Park model could be a good thing, provided there isn't a reduction in service. It's something that makes Downers Grove anattractive place to live. The Burlington Northern is a great resource to Downers Grove, and many people ride the train into Chicago for work every day. I'm one of them.

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There are many people who don't live within walking distance of the train stop. Is this something that we should continue to pursue? Absolutely, provided that we are able to, I think, work along the Highland Park model to make sure that PACE, once we transition it there, does not introduce any service cuts.

Becky Rheintgen
As I understand it, it is now a revenue-neutral operation, so I support it as long as people are using it and taking advantage of the service. I also know that PACE is due to be taking it over in the future, and I think that's a good step as long as we're still providing services to the residents that utilize it. I think it's a good program. 

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Dominic Scalzetti
If PACE does not take it over, yes, I'm in favor of the disbanding it. The last time I checked, it was less than 200 people a day that rode the bus, and a majority of those people probably aren't even all Downers Grove residents. They park-and-ride from Darien, Woodridge. As I said, we've moved out here in 1975. We did it because my father worked downtown and he needed to get to the train and there was a bus system. We didn't have a parking deck then. We have parking deck now. 

Mark Thoman
No, I don't favor discontinuing the bus system, but I do believe it should be transitioned to PACE. The public transportation system, which staff is currently working on—the ridership used to be in the high 600s for many years and it plummeted when the parking garage opened and it became cheaper for commuters to drive downtown and park than take the bus.

Craig Skala
I'm not in favor of disbanding it. My wife utilizes it every day. She tells me her buses are full all the time. Like I talked earlier, parking spots are a luxury down here. She's on a waiting list that, when she signed up six years ago, they told her, eight years, good luck. The parking deck, yes, she utilizes that sometimes. The problem with that is, they shut down two levels until 8 AM. That deters some people from using that. So, I believe that we have to do another study and look into it, because I'm not in favor of disbanding it, because like I said, I believe that it's been utilized.

Geoff Neustadt
I don't favor disbanding it or reducing the service right now. Staff is working with the approved council direction to transition to PACE (and the) Highland Park model, and I believe that will be happening in the near future. 


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