Sunday, November 15, 2015

Paducah, KY -- No car? No job. #publictransit inadequate

A need for reliable public transportation - WPSD Local 6: Your news, weather, and sports authority: "PADUCAH, Ky -
If you have an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. job and need a ride to work, you can't count on the Paducah Area Transit System's buses to get you there. They run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. That leaves people working the day shift looking for another ride.

More than 400 people step on Paducah city buses every day. Passengers can ride to appointments, doctor's offices, the mall and grocery stores, but if you have to clock in by 8 a.m., you won't be taking a Paducah city bus.

"It can be a stressful situation trying to get to a job interview and flag a bus down," said Adam Morton, who relies on area transit.

Morton is trying to get a job. He can't drive for medical reasons, so he stands on this curb and waits. 

"I stand here and have to wave to catch the driver's attention so that driver knows I'm here," Morton said.

Buses on four routes leave at the top of every hour weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult riders can hop on for $1, seniors and kids get a discount.

"It's great that we have it," Morton said.

However, he says it's not always reliable. There are no published timetables or bus stops for the city's five routes. Bus drivers pick up anyone who flags them down, and all buses park for one hour at noon, so every driver gets their meal break. That's not convenient when you're trying to get to work, or in Morton's case, land a job.

"I have actually experienced where they turn me down, because of what they don't consider a valid form of transportation," Morton said."

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