SPOT finds route funding

SANDPOINT — The Selkirks-Pend Oreille Transit bus system won’t be cutting back Sandpoint service after all.

While securing support from cities for its annual budget last fall, SPOT administrators worried that a lower-than-requested funding amount from Sandpoint would result in service reduction. However, according to SPOT manager Marion Johnson, an unexpected source of funding will preserve most route functions for the coming year expect for some service times with exceptionally low ridership.

The source of the dilemma dates back to August, when the Sandpoint City Council decided it would not fund to the full $78,000 requested. While members did raise the budgeted amount from $50,000 to $60,000, they said they were unable to go the full distance, making it difficult for SPOT to secure its full grant match funding. By contrast, Ponderay provided the requested amount of $81,000.

As a result, Johnson and then-transportation director Clif Warren said Sandpoint-centric routes would likely receive significant cuts in hours of service. The plan was to cut the blue route — which mostly covers Sandpoint stops — to five hours a day except for the winter, when funds from Schweitzer pay for the necessary driver hours.

Fortunately, a timely audit revealed a funding source that was previously unaccounted for, Johnson said. The money came from a collection of match funds previously acquired from the city to obtain a $130,000 grant. The terms of that grant have now expired, but approximately $30,000 of the match funds still remain. That’s enough to keep the blue route running this year for full hours.

Nevertheless, the system will need to trim some driver hours. Johnson said the service will be suspending the extended hours on Friday and Saturday between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. That’s largely because they’re some of the least utilized hours for SPOT.

“If we get 16 people between two buses (during those hours), it’s been a busy night,” Johnson said.

The ability to maintain full service is another batch of good news for SPOT in what has been one of its highest ridership periods to date. A couple weeks in January resulted in exceptionally good numbers for SPOT, including one week that drew 1,900 riders altogether — a new record for the public transportation system. Johnson theorizes that a combination of the winter weather and individuals using SPOT to connect up with Schweitzer Mountain Resort led to those high ridership numbers.

In any case, Johnson said SPOT has achieved significant popularity among people of all age demographics, whether they be youth, seniors or young to middle-aged adults — SPOT’s most frequent rider group. Johnson is looking forward to bringing the system into another year and, hopefully, clearing their goal of 2,000 riders in a single week.