Operations will be centered out of the authority’s Westover central hub and central office, likely beginning sometime in late summer or early fall.
Mountain Line learned in October that Morgantown wanted buses out of the depot ahead of planned improvements along the riverfront tied to a $4.1 million gift from the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust.
During the regular meeting of the Mountain Line board, Bruffy presented draft route schedules for more than a dozen routes, including new additions like a Northern Circulator and Eastern Circulator.
“If you simply add seven minutes to a route, then it’s not top-of-the-hour, bottom-of-the-hour,” Bruffy said. “If you remove parts of the route, you’re not serving all the people you served before. The only way is to create additional routes and people will have to transfer. That’s the only way to make it work. It’s an inelastic model.”
Board members were told that the unexpected move will require expenditures that were not budgeted for, including approximately $200,000 worth of resurfacing on the Mountain Line parking lots. Additionally, passenger amenities will need to be built in Westover and staffing costs will be increased briefly to assist confused riders.
Bruffy also noted there won’t be a bus station downtown, meaning passengers, especially those with physical limitations, will likely be in the weather.
The push now becomes about rider education and feedback.
Bruffy said Mountain Line intends to print up the timetable and route map and distribute it to riders for comment. Further, he said, public hearings will be scheduled, likely starting later this month or in April.
