After a month of service, JAC is billed as a success

On its first day of operation this month, Carson City's bus system transported 54 passengers along four routes throughout the city. This week the buses averaged about 245 riders daily.

City Transit Planner Mike Dulude said Jump Around Carson's first month of operation went smoothly.

"I would characterize it as excellent," he said Friday. "I estimate that we need to hit about 500 riders a day during the weekdays to meet our annual goal. And we're halfway there."

Dulude recited October's statistics from memory.

The buses transported 196 people daily by the end of its first week of operation. By the second week it was at about 160 passengers daily. Last Thursday, drivers recorded the largest number of passengers, 248. That fell sharply to 125 on Friday but then went back up on Saturday to 175. By the end of the month, the buses were carrying 245 riders daily.

He said the spike before the weekend may reflect the number of people who wanted to get to Wal-Mart before the weekend. Route 3, which travels to South Carson and the Wal-Mart in the Carson Valley Plaza, was the most popular route. Carson City's new Wal-Mart, off College Parkway, opened Wednesday.

Passenger numbers per route will be available in JAC's monthly report, which will not be completed until mid-November, he said. The majority of riders were adults, followed by seniors, the disabled and then youth.

Route 1 brings riders up to the Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Campus on Medical Parkway. Route 2A loops clockwise in north Carson City. Route 2B loops counterclockwise.

The bus system will be operating today, but the buses will not cross the section of Carson Street closed for the parade. Route 3 will stay on the east side of Carson Street and continue south to the Carson Valley Plaza.

The route 2A bus will travel west but will not begin at the transfer point on North Plaza Street. Instead it will begin near Division and Washington streets. Route 2B will begin at the transfer point and travel east along the route.

Route 1 will miss the Pride Stop on Winnie Lane and will instead travel north on Lone Mountain Drive to Sage Street and then continue on the regular route at Hot Springs Road.

"We started very well. We didn't have some of the headaches that others have to deal with, such as broken-down buses, or bus stops put in the wrong direction."

Each of the 200 JAC stops are still marked with temporary signs. The permanent signs should be up by the first week of November, Dulude said.

The blue and white bus stop signs are 18-by-24 inches and feature the JAC logo and a stylized rabbit. The route number or numbers will be printed under the rabbit.

n Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

JAC fares

• Starting Tuesday, fares will be $1 one-way for adults and youth

• 50 cents for seniors and the disabled

• Children aged under 5 are free with a fare-paying adult

• JAC assist, a door-to-door paratransit service that passengers must schedule over the phone, is $2 for a disabled person who qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The fare is $2.50 for those who don't qualify for ADA.

• Buses operate from 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. For information call 887-2323.