Schuylkill Transportation System is cutting back its shared-ride program on Saturdays and reducing the program's hours for the upcoming fiscal year. However, bus fares will remain the same.
During the annual public meeting Tuesday outlining plans for the next fiscal year, Mike Micko, executive director of STS, said the shared-ride program will be available from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday for the 2013-14 fiscal year. Hours were previously 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Micko said the changes are the result of not many people using the shared-ride program on Saturday or during those times during the week. Limited out of county, non-medical group trips will continue to be provided on Saturdays.
Micko said STS is also reviewing certain fixed routes and may consolidate schedules and plan new routes and connections throughout the system. Since changes are only in the review stage, Micko said he could not say which routes were being considered. However, he said routing should be completed within the next 60 days and any changes will be presented for public review.
Micko said he is not expecting any routes to be added or eliminated. He said changes are likely to only be in the number of trips a route has a day.
Bus fares are expected to remain at: $1.30, base fare; $1.55, average fare; and $3.05, top fare.
Costs are expected to rise 3 percent from $1,908,432 in 2012-13 to $1,967,230 in 2013-14. Operating costs per hour are anticipated to rise from $91.36 in 2012-13 to $94.17 in 2013-14.
STS receives a majority of its funding through federal and state grants. Schuylkill County provides a local match of $171,608.
STS is projecting an increase in riders for next year from 216,095 in 2012-13 to 219,350. Bus service hours are expected to stay the same at 20,890.
A Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday on the third floor of Union Station, 300 S. Centre St.
For more information about registration for reduced fares or bus routes, visit www.go-sts.com, call toll-free at 800-832-3322 or stop in at Union Station.