Thursday, June 11, 2009
Robert Nugent, the new Public Transit Administrator for the City of Lawrence, has been working with the KU parking and transit department since May to merge the Lawrence Transit System and KU on Wheels.
Derek Meier, Independence, Kan., junior and transportation coordinator for KU on Wheels, said working with Nugent had been a positive experience.
“He has a lot of experience and expertise,” Meier said. “We’re still working together as the KU/City Coordinator team.”
Casey Toomay, budget manager and interim transit administrator for the city of Lawrence, said Nugent had been working hard to adapt to his new position.
“He has really hit the ground running,” Toomay said. “Bob has been learning a lot about out transit system and our community and has already expressed some ideas on how we can improve.”
Nugent said he had found the position intriguing because the people involved in organizing the transit system were committed to doing what was right for the community.
“The T didn’t know what it wanted to be,” Nugent said. “I think the community helped guide the city and the community as a whole about where they wanted the T to be and how they wanted the coordinate.”
Nugent said the real strength of the transit system was the people involved and the definite direction of development for the transit system.
“Organizations sometimes get in a place and they try and reinvent themselves and try and figure out what they are,” Nugent said. “I think the T went through that for awhile. Now they know. Now it’s like the starting gate in a race. All of a sudden we know now the race is ahead of us.”
Nugent said the main task at hand was the coordination of the KU on Wheels with the Lawrence Transit system.
“It’s quite a task because you have two different kinds of transportation and two different kinds or ridership,” Nugent said. “To try to mesh those two together and make something that is understandable from both sides of the ridership is difficult.”
Nugent said there had been challenges in the past because the two transit systems had approached the system in different ways. He said there had been efforts to streamline their approach. Both organizations operate out of the same office and one pamphlet has been designed to include both city and campus routes.
“We’re doing the right thing by starting with looking around instead of looking how to coordinate everything,” Nugent said.
— — Edited by Hannah DeClerk
Lawrence’s main bus systems consider joining forces
Representatives for KU on Wheels and the T have begun merger discussions. ...
Coordinated buses carry more riders
More people are riding the T a year after its partnership with ...
City Commission approves greener buses
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act gives Lawrence $2.9 million, which will be ...
Transit system considers route changes for next ...
The most significant adjustments will affect routes 5, 12, and 26.
City looks for student input on buses
The Public Transit Advisory Committee will hold a meeting today to discuss ...
KU on Wheels’ aims to improve the ...
No additions will be added to KU on Wheels, but no services ...
Bus system merger may be necessary to ...
Both systems would need to commit equally to the merger, sales tax ...
Lawrence transit recognized for increased ridership
The city of Lawrence Transit and KU on Wheels worked together to ...
The T now a part of Google ...
The application allows riders to plan trips around their schedules.
KU On Wheels ridership increasing
The University bus system offers a cost-effective transportation option
City recommends fewer bus routes
Proposed changes include combining routes but adding more stops
Campus buses offer fewer routes to students ...
In response to a decreased number of passengers and a host of ...
City Commission candidates speak out
Lawrence City Commission hopefuls talk about their opinions on the transit systems, ...
University buses, Lawrence buses join together for ...
With rising gas prices, the city’s new proposal will give students more ...
Lawrence public transit system saved
Voters overwhelmingly approve sales taxes to keep buses running after months of ...
'Green' buses are actually green
The city purchased three new buses that are environmentally friendly.
Editorial: Vote to save public transit in ...
Task force introduces suggestions to improve busing
Students get a free ride
KU buses team up with the “T” to provide free fares to ...
Students cram into buses, leave no room ...
Free bus system has twice as many riders; causes delays, changes in ...
City bus system faces changes
Changes to the Lawrence Transit System could affect students.
City Commission votes on first transit changes
Commissioners approved the first round of integration recommendations for Lawrence Transit System ...
Dever elected mayor of Lawrence
Robert Chestnut, elected vice mayor, said he and Dever will focus on ...
Bus drivers energized by student community
KU on Wheels, in association with the City of Lawrence, has seen ...
Future of Lawrence public transit hinges on ...
If a proposed sales tax increase doesn’t pass, the city will have ...
Buses slated for improvements
Let gas prices drive you to mass ...
Students should use the bus system because they pay for it
New buses to come to KU
New, shorter buses will be coming to KU later this month for ...
City commission? What?
Within the last six years, the Lawrence city commission banned three unrelated ...
Brown: If we lose the T, could ...
Kansas women’s golf adapts to unusual weather ...
Jayhawks finished 10th at Big 12 tournament in Lawrence.
Letter: Students are important voters in saving ...
Students can receive text alerts about late ...
KU on Wheels has developed and implemented GPS to track bus performance ...
Overcrowded buses leaving hundreds behind
KU Transit has seen a 25 percent increase in riders this semester ...
SafeBus program sees increase in riders
Recent changes to the SafeBus routes cause more ridership.
K-10 Connector will increase prices
Bus line between Lawrence and Kansas City must increase rates to cope ...
Buses, bikes provide convenience
KU on Wheels system ferries thousands of Jayhawks to and from campus ...
No free rides
KU on Wheels faces $250,000 debt
KU on Wheels cannot account for $62,000 of debt.
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID