Greyhound ‘mystery’
Dear editor:
It appears to me that there is a mystery surrounding the end of Greyhound bus services to Hot Springs as The Sentinel-Record reported last week.
I really don’t understand the city’s reasoning or the announcement made by the city. Greyhound now uses the city’s public depot, but that agreement appears to be ending at the end of August.
Why?
Residents of Hot Springs who are without cars will have to catch a cab or hitchhike to Malvern to pick up the closest bus.
The Hot Springs government’s news release indicated that the reason for this change was they have not gotten an agreement from Greyhound for their commission for ticket sales and thus ending the agreement to use the terminal. Why didn’t they just say the bus service is discontinued over money?
I wonder how much the city subsidized the Hot Springs Airport and the very limited schedule and federally subsidized airline that serves Hot Springs? If it’s about money, how about finding a little money in the airport budget to cover the costs of the bus stop.
This appears to be another example of how shortsighted our city officials really are and how they cannot get along with others. The city cut funding for partnerships with the Garland County government on the Health Department and animal control without any negotiations. It seems the city just makes demands.
Or maybe this is a plot to prevent people from leaving Hot Springs, so the city’s population decline doesn’t continue?
There must be a demand for bus services to Hot Springs, since Greyhound has three bus routes scheduled to serve Hot Springs. The city government’s shortsightedness is impacting the one-third of its residents who live below the poverty level.
Governments tax people so the citizens’ quality of life is improved. Services provided by companies like Greyhound bus improves the life for our residents.
The city needs to start thinking about ways to serve it citizens or maybe the citizens will continue to vote with their feet and leave Hot Springs.
W.R. Cowan Hot Springs