Stonington to no longer pursue Uber as SEAT alternative
Stonington's first selectman told the Southeast Area Transit District Board of Directors on Wednesday that the town is "no longer pursuing an arrangement with Uber."
Stonington had been looking into Uber as an alternative provider for residents who rely on bus service, in the event serious cuts in state aid forced the transit district to eliminate the bus route in Stonington.
But Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons said Wednesday that with SEAT no longer expecting draconian cuts to state funding next year, the town is no longer seeking alternatives to SEAT, including Uber and local cab companies.
"We're putting those folders in the file, because we feel reasonably confident that the current level of service in Stonington will be sustained," he said.
SEAT's Board of Directors has been discussing potential service reductions, after learning in December of a proposal that would cut state funding to SEAT and other transit districts in half.
With the governor's budget released in February being favorable to transit, SEAT is anticipating level state funding next year, though the budget process is ongoing, said SEAT General Manager Michael Carroll.
But SEAT expects it will still need to make some service reductions to balance its budget next year, as SEAT is facing increased costs, including for insurance, wages, fuel, and parts, and local municipalities are facing budget constraints, according to a SEAT report.
On Wednesday, Carroll presented SEAT staff's plans to develop a budget that would incorporate recommendations from a study on improving SEAT service, but end bus service at 8 p.m. and eliminate service on Sundays.
He said SEAT is also proposing to beef up morning service in New London. Currently, one route starts at 7 a.m., but two others start at 8 a.m. He said he would like to try to shift the starting time between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. to accommodate the first work shift.
Carroll said the plan is to focus on and strengthen "the core" of the transit district's services and then, if it has to, cut items "at the fringes," such as nights and Sundays. He added that even though nights and Sundays have low ridership, he understands service reductions would still affect people.
He said the board can revisit proposed changes, if the budget picture improves or fewer cuts are needed.
The set of recommendations that SEAT is proposing to incorporate from the service study, completed in Oct. 2015, is called the "Cost Neutral Plan B" service plan.
Carroll said in an email after the meeting that the route alignments proposed in the service study have not substantially changed since the study was released, but SEAT might consider some minor adjustments based upon customer and/or town feedback and suggestions.
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.
