Lafayette County's recent vote to withdraw support for the Lafayette Oxford University (L-O-U) Transit System highlights the system's primary flaw: it lacks a clear-cut goal. While the city of Oxford was instrumental in securing more than $1.18 million in grant funds, the transit board formerly had equal representation from the city, county and university. All three have differing public transit needs.
For Oxford and the university, reduced congestion and greater convenience are perhaps the most important goals. Yet Lafayette County is simply too large and rural to be covered adequately by a fledgeling five-bus system. Routes to Taylor or Abbeville make little sense and will do little to alleviate the problems of the many Lafayette County residents living in poverty.
We have three governments, each with its own goals, trying to build a transit system efficient enough to keep cars parked in driveways. Now we're down to two, but will the withdrawal of the county lead to a more cohesive plan?
The problems a transit system can solve are largely Oxford and university problems, though these entities compose the heart of Lafayette, and thus warrant county support. Yet the current plans, which specifically cut off bus service early on Thursday and Friday nights, certainly don't seem to have student interests in mind.
We see a public transit system as a great way to reduce drunken driving-related accidents and deaths in Oxford and on campus, yet L-O-U seems more concerned that someone might vomit on the seats of a new bus. If this Rebel Ride-type saga continues, we'll see another missed opportunity to save lives and earn revenue to support the system.
County involvement or not, let's hope Oxford and the university can develop routes and schedules that allow students and citizens to take advantage of public transit - day or night. If we want cute buses we'll ride the double deckers, but what we need is a transit system that is designed to work for the people who will use it.
