BROOKINGS It made it for everybody; it was real public transit. The vision had changed and we developed and developed and developed that vision into what it is today.
That vision is what Executive Director Travis Bortnem sees when he looks at the Brookings Area Transit Authority, which 35 years ago broke away from the Inter-Lakes Community Action Program. At that time the program was providing transit primarily for the elderly and disabled.
Bortnem came aboard BATA about 13 years ago. Since I started weve probably increased our ridership half again more than when it started, he said.
Ridership was 153, 000 the past fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024). Seven months into this fiscal year, ridership is up 7,000 over the previous year. Come Sep. 30, the director sees the potential for 160,000 rides.
Its just amazing how its grown, Bortnem said. Its just needed so much in Brookings. The big thing that we like is to let people know about BATA more, so you dont have to find out about it when you actually need it.
Could I use more ridership? Absolutely. Every day Id take more ridership. But do I need it? Were pretty busy. Its not like Im begging for more rides. Ill take them. Ill be glad to have more rides. But I want people to know that when they need it well be here. BATA is like the great unknown in Brookings. I remember that even when I started I didnt realize there were that many buses around.
The director started as a resource development director and helped out with some of the techy stuff, the IT (information technology) stuff. Its a kind of jack-of-all-trades sort of deal the way I look at it.
And more full-time drivers were added. He did note that, as a non-profit, BATA pay may not be as good as at other similar jobs; but the benefits package is as good as or better than any in town. Our benefits are really good. We pay 90 percent of the health insurance benefits for the employees. They have a really small buy-in to a great medical plan.
Bortnem noted that getting drivers has been easy. And hes been a driver; he admitted, with a laugh, I like to drive but (I cant) as much as Id like to. BATA tries to keep trips to within a 50-mile radius, but has gone beyond that as far as into Nebraska when needed; trips to and from Sioux Falls are regularly done three times daily, Monday through Friday, for such needs as medical appointments, for shopping and for air travelers who want to ride down and leave their car at home. A round-trip is $30.
Fares dont pay the bills
Subsidization of any and all public-transit systems is a must, the director is always ready to explain: Right now what we look for the state has taken away our regulation on that but its always been that we had to come up with 15% of our expenses. We charge $3; average cost per ride is probably around $12. So we come up with that extra $9 locally, somewhere, whether its contracts that we have, Medicaid, whatever what have you that we come up with that money.
City, county, the local governments are helping us out and the federal money. We always worry right now if things are going to change. Luckily, the secretary of transportation really knows that public transport needs support. There isnt a transit agency in the world that will run without some sort of assistance; theres got to be a subsidy somewhere. Is it enough? Probably not anymore.
Our funding has stayed steady but our expenses have gone up. Ive kind of gone back to the need to have a $15-an-hour minimum wage. So everybody gets to that point and then thats not enough because thats minimum and we should be above that.
I want these to be career positions or real jobs, not like an entry-level job. Ive got to get over that amount. If the large portion of our expenses is wages, it gets up there; but if the federal dollars that are subsidizing dont come with it at all, they can push all they want. I can even say the state, if the state funding doesnt even come up with that, because the state funding for the state of South Dakota is pretty minimal.
As to the makeup of BATAs ridership base, Bortnem sees it pretty even for Brookings straight across: 30 to 33 percent youthful riders, general public (the same) 18 to 60 years old , and over 60 also about 30 percent.
Of those categories, maybe 19 percent have disabilities. He added another bit to the mix of categories: Every time somebody hits 60, they get put into elderly, unless theyre truly disabled. Probably 40 or so riders a day use wheelchairs.
BATA also manages two smaller public transportation systems: one in Dell Rapids (Dells Xpress), where ridership is 90 to 95 percent youth and one in Freeman (Freeman Community Transit) just the opposite, with ridership that is 95 percent elderly.
We charge a little bit just to do their payroll and make sure their regulations are all met, Bortnem explained. We take care of all that stuff for them. It was a big push from the state a few years ago: consolidate.
As to the actual method of ridership payment, it could be thought of as less than state-of-the-art. Drivers do still have to be ready to accept payment with tokens or money. We do take credit cards, cash, checks, we take all forms of payment, Bortnem explained. But there are options out there that were toying with. One of those is an app that costs $60,000. But he admits that eventually, despite the high cost of going to state-of-the-art fare options, technology will prevail.
Eventually, Im going to have to, the director said with a smile. It all comes back to the dollar and what the state gets to divvy out among the 13 agencies that are left in the state. Then add another factor to that same pool of money: buses.
Eventually every agency has to purchase buses that once cost $60,000 each and now cost about $150,000 each, Bortnem noted.
BATA has a fleet of 35 vehicles., ranging from vans to a 24-passenger buses. Vans are planned to last four years and 100,000 miles; buses seven years and 150,000 miles. The federal government did help out a bit, changing the funding mix from an 80/20 match to an 85/15 match.
One colorful tool for raising local money is advertising: check out some of the big splashy adds youll see on many of the BATA buses and other vehicles rolling around the streets of Brookings. Those messages bring in about $85,000 a year. BATA has some spaces open if youve got a message you want to pitch.
To acknowledge and celebrate its 35 years of service, BATA invites the public to an open house at 9 a.m. June 28 at 1313 Western Ave.
The executive directors mission-message, which he admits he picked up at a meeting or conference over his years of service, is: We want to make BATA and public transportation the best option, not the last resort.
Contact John Kubal at [email protected].
Leave a Reply