By: Kayla Bremer
kbremer@klkntv.com
StarTran celebrated serving more than two million riders this year. Public transportation has been on the rise and StarTran is seeing its highest numbers since 1990.
StarTran and Mayor Chris Beutler thanked Lincoln Thursday morning after reaching two million riders from August of last year until now. Two million riders equates to filling Memorial Stadium 25 times.
It's saved drivers more than 300 million gallons of gas and more than five billion pounds of pollution. "I think it's good because for people near bus stops it's really convenient on that. You know gas is pricey a lot of the time and a lot of people can't afford cars," said UNL grad student, Collin Holmquist.
To thank all the patrons for a successful year, the Mayor announced a five-day sale on 20-ride bus passes starting September 10th. He says he thinks the trend for public transportation will continue to rise.
"We will always for a very long time be a city with outlying areas so I don't expect the change to be revolutionary. I expect it to be more evolutionary," said Mayor Chris Beutler.
Cheaper fares, improved routes and a new contract with UNL will help to increase student service at well. In fact, StarTran expects to increase rider ship by six percent.
"I think they need to improve a little more. Go every half hour instead of once an hour in the morning but otherwise the prices for the bus passes, the price is pretty decent."
StarTran's "Big Red Express," will still be in action starting this Saturday. It will drop patrons off near 11th and 'R' this year due to the East Stadium construction.
StarTran will have lower fares beginning October 1st. For more information go to StarTran.Lincoln.NE.gov.
