Aiden thinks the Central Transit survey and brochure are positive steps toward better community engagement. Rex disagrees.
Central Transit's recent "update" of their fixed-route brochure and release of a new survey on July 7 and November 26, 2024, represent nothing more than a bureaucratic box-ticking exercise. The brochure, which features a glossy 8.5"x11" format with minimal route changes, cost $12,300 to design and print—funds that could have been better spent on actual bus maintenance. Meanwhile, the survey, which asks residents to rate their satisfaction with current routes, was sent to only 15% of Ellensburg households, with no follow-up data analysis provided.
The timing of this release is particularly egregious. Central Transit's budget for 2024-2025 shows a $500,000 shortfall in maintenance funds, yet they allocated $12,300 to a brochure that doesn't even include updated route maps. A 2023 audit by the Washington State Auditor's Office found that Central Transit's previous brochure update in 2021 cost $18,000, with no measurable improvement in rider satisfaction. This pattern of misallocating resources to superficial updates while neglecting core infrastructure is emblematic of a department that prioritizes appearance over function.
The real issue isn't a lack of community input—it's that Central Transit has consistently ignored the most critical feedback from riders. A 2022 survey showed 78% of respondents wanted more frequent service during peak hours, but Central Transit has made no significant changes to schedules since then. The new brochure and survey are just a distraction from the fact that the system is failing its core purpose: moving people efficiently and reliably. Instead of wasting money on glossy materials, Central Transit should be addressing the 45-minute average wait times for buses during rush hour and the 30% increase in service cancellations this year.
So tell me: If Central Transit truly cares about community engagement, why not use that $12,300 to fund a real, data-driven service improvement plan instead of another meaningless brochure? How many more brochures will it take for them to admit they're not listening?