ORT’s rough ride

Subsidy by counties regularly viewed with skepticism

For years, it’s been a bumpy ride for the regional bus system each year when Benton and Washington counties start talking budget numbers.

Both counties were among the government entities back at the turn of the century that launched a government authority to take over what had been, until that point, a nonprofit organization’s bare-bones op- eration. Mass transit has grown over the years from only scheduled “dial-a-ride” services to scheduled bus routes people could generally depend on in more populated areas.

But elected county officials have struggled to know what to do about the regional bus system. Yes, it seems a robust, growing region such as Northwest Arkansas ought to have a public transit system, and will need a strong one in the years ahead. But there’s really no passion for spending money on one.

Joel Gardner, director of the bus system, in 2017 acknowledged ORT’s role as “a placeholder for the future.” But his annual visits to convince his funding entities to devote money to the transportation service have to be excruciating. Especially within county governments, the value of mass transit gets lost.

Gardner recently visited Washington County’s Quorum Court, which two years ago cut its subsidy by $100,000. The county now provides $22,970, helping to pay for on-demand rides from rural areas of the county. Gardner sought $5,777 more to help boost driver pay. Justice of the Peace Patrick Deakins gave voice to the doubters, saying he could not justify the expense to the citizens of his rural district.

“Year after year I’ve come back here and said ‘will you give money?’ The question is no longer will you give money. The question is do you want to even have a transit system for the rural people of Washington County. If you don’t, let me know,” said Gardner, who described himself as “servant” to the governmental entities that fund ORT.

We can’t blame Gardner for trying to clearly define the relationship. He’s not begging. He’s offering to deliver whatever level of service elected leaders are willing to provide their residents. And while a vast majority of their constituents don’t ride the buses, the ones who do have few options and will sometimes find themselves stranded without subsidized bus service.

The message from county leaders has increasingly been this: If you need bus service, move to the cities.

Given the resistance to funding by the counties for mass transit, it’s hard to say they’re wrong.