Tell us a little of your transit system’s background and history. How did the system start and where is it today?

Tri-City Roadrunner started as the Scotts Bluff County Handybus in 1975 as transportation for elderly county residents. Over the years, it became a 5311 sub-recipient through the Nebraska Department of Transportation and now provides services to all residents in Scotts Bluff County.

How long have you served as the manager?

I have been the manager since July 2020.

How does your transit system serve the local community?

We operate a deviated fixed route service across the cities of Gering, Terrytown, and Scottsbluff and a demand response service for the rest of Scotts Bluff County and those residents outside of our fixed route corridor.

What are some highlights of serving your community?

We partner with the cities of Gering, Terrytown, and Scottsbluff as well as Western Nebraska Community College, Regional West Medical Center, Walmart, and Elite Health Center for annual operating assistance funds. We provide NEMT trips throughout the county and also work with various human services organizations in the area to provide transportation for medical appointments, shopping, and financial/legal purposes. In fiscal year 21-22 we provided over 33,600 rides within Scotts Bluff County.

What are some challenges you see facing both your transit system and the industry as a whole?

Staffing shortages continue to be an issue though we are closer to being fully staffed than we have been in over two years. Supply chain issues have been delaying receipt of new vehicles and increased maintenance costs on older vehicles coupled with higher fuel prices have had major impacts on our budget.

How does being a member of the Nebraska Association of Transportation Providers benefit your system?

As a newer transit manager the opportunity to network with more experienced managers and use them as a resource has been very helpful to me. Access to the knowledge and experiences of more seasoned managers has allowed me to learn quickly and make changes to our operation in an effort to improve efficiency and cut costs.

What do your riders think of your transit system?

Our riders come from a myriad of backgrounds, ethnicities, socioeconomic categories. Generally our riders are very appreciative of the services we provide and many were instrumental in helping to establish our deviated fixed route by voicing their wishes at town hall meetings. As with anything in life, we have the occasional passenger who can never seem to be pleased, but they are rare occurrences.