Wayne Tomorrow Transportation Task Force Launches Route 6 Shuttle Survey

HONESDALE – The Wayne Tomorrow! Transportation Task Force has been
charged with identifying the changing needs and challenges of
transportation for the residents of Wayne County, and they need your help.
The Task Force has launched a short survey that will help to gage the
feasibility of shared-ride shuttle service along Route 6.
While maintaining and repairing roads and bridges is important, so, too, is
the need for accessible and affordable public transportation that can help
citizens engage in the economy, educational opportunities, health care,
recreation and more.
“This is especially true in the post-pandemic era,” explained Community
Network Specialist Mikki Uzupes, “Our partner agencies tell us that in
recent years, the costs of purchasing, operating, maintaining and insuring a
personal vehicle have been growing out of the reach of some families,
compounding the hardships presented by the absolute need for reliable
transportation in our rural area.”
A few years ago, when the Transportation Task Force was first seated, the
members conducted a survey regarding several alternative methods of
transport, including bike and pedestrian paths. Since then, the need for
transportation as a function of economic development has continued to
grow, and the need to move people to and from work has become more
critical.

Last summer, the Task Force was introduced to a representative from Via
Transportation, which provides software and mobility services to
communities around the globe. The Task Force provided information about
“points of interest” along Route 6, and Via proposed a full-blown shuttle
system, running from Waymart to Hawley at a projected cost of more than
$2 million for the first year.
The Wayne Tomorrow! Community Impact Network generally agreed that
the price tag was simply too high for a rural community to sustain, even
with grant, philanthropic and other funding assistance. A discussion of the
realities of the transportation landscape, however, led the network to
conclude, ‘We need to do something.’
Earlier this year, a pair of local entrepreneurs started a new taxi service in
the community and have also sought a license for a fixed-route shuttle
service focused on Route 6. The Task Force hopes to use the results of the
survey to better inform this private initiative.
The survey is currently live; you can learn more and find a link at
WayneTomorrow.com.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeTUMVsdyNdvSvy-
5KanR4fgZWRFAVn5z7TaLZHj-H-AF2fbA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Wayne Tomorrow! Web page:
https://waynetomorrow.com/373/Transportation-Survey