Regional Bus Authority powwows with city mayors have failed to move the bus group any closer to satisfying Regional Development Authority demands that it take over all bus service in the region.
Mayors are mainly hesitating at the part of the plan that would keep local taxpayers paying heavy subsidies for bus service, while taking away local control of bus companies, Regional Bus Authority President Dennis Rittenmeyer said.
But Rittenmeyer told the bus group's board Wednesday he is hopeful the RDA will be receptive to a pitch on taking the first steps toward universal service, such as a regional transit call center and commuter routes.
Gary taxpayers in 2005 contributed $2.77 million to subsidize bus service, according to figures contained in a study by TranSytems Corp.
Hammond taxpayers contributed $654,901 to support Hammond's system. And East Chicago taxpayers kicked in $836,766 to support their bus company.
"It's that operating revenue that has always been a real tough nut to crack," Rittenmeyer said in comments after the meeting.
An RDA working group on bus service will hear about progress in RBA plans on Friday. The RBA board spent much of Wednesday's meeting refining that pitch.
RBA Vice President Stephen Adik, a former vice chairman of NiSource Inc., told board members the RDA eventually could be asked to fund expenses for projects like a call center, as well as commuter and regional bus routes.
"If we don't get started now, we will just be spinning our wheels for another two years," Adik said.
The biggest problem with bus service now is the length of time it takes to get from one point to another, Adik said.
As one example, he pointed out it can take more than five hours to make the round trip from East Chicago, which operates its own bus system, to the Westfield Southlake mall in Hobart.
"How many people can afford a system that takes five hours just to there and back," Adik said.
Rittenmeyer said he was hopeful the RDA might be more receptive to the current plan, once RDA members from Hammond, East Chicago and Gary weigh in. The three RDA members from those cities are appointed by their respective mayors.
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