When Debbie Shoults flagged down a bus in Caldwell Tuesday morning, it was part of her regular routine - until she climbed aboard and saw a gaggle of officials and TV cameras.
"I didn't plan on all of this," she said with a wary but amused expression.
The gathering of local leaders also signaled a less jarring, but more permanent, change to Shoults' routine: No more flagging down buses in Canyon County, effective March 10.
ValleyRide kicked off a new system of bus stops throughout Nampa and Caldwell by ferrying officials and media from Caldwell to Nampa, where mayors Tom Dale of Nampa and Garret Nancolas of Caldwell ceremoniously put up the last of 136 bus-stop signs that now dot their cities.
"The bus stops here," they chanted, echoing Valley Regional Transit's slogan for the shift to designated stops.
Bus routes and schedules won't change, but riders will need to stand at the nearest bus stop if they want a ride. On average, the stops are spaced about a quarter-mile from each other, transit planner Christine Floor said, with more frequent stops in more heavily used areas.
The stops - 55 in Caldwell, 81 in Nampa - are the first in the Valley and probably the first in the state, Floor said.
Ada County will switch to a bus stop system this summer, she said.
The big reason for the switch is safety, she said. Buses will stop only at specified spots chosen for minimal impact on traffic flow. The stop system also is expected to be more efficient for drivers and passengers, she said.
Floor said the new bus stops should increase ridership in Canyon County, noting that the bus stop signs provide "advertising we've never had before."
Shoults estimated there are usually between 13 and 18 people aboard the bus most mornings when she catches a ride to Boise State University's Canyon campus to work toward getting her GED. She said the bus is a big help to her, especially since her aging car gave out and, "I took it to the crusher." Now she relies entirely on buses. She said she's happy with the existing flag-it-down system, but designated stops "would be better for a lot of people."
Nancolas said the bus stops represent an improvement to an increasingly important part of Valley life.
"This is a quality of life issue," he said. "This is much more affordable than getting in your automobile at $3.05 a gallon."
Much more is needed for mass transit in the county, said the Caldwell mayor, who has joined with other local officials to advocate a local-option tax to fund transit and highway projects. So far, the idea has not made headway in the Legislature.
"We need a transportation system that works, that is funded, that is complete," Nancolas told the about 30 people getting ready to board the bus in Caldwell Tuesday morning. "If that is important to you, let someone know."
Kristin Rodine: 377-6447
