Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk-Line: Steve Davis, Reagan Mass Transit District

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Talk-Line: Steve Davis, Reagan Mass Transit District · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Past the hour. This is Friday, It's August the twenty ninth.
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Year is twenty twenty five, and it's time for another
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: informational edition of Tuckline here at wi X and Radio.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: Good morning, I'm Steve Marco. It is time to talk
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: to our good friends from the Reagan Mass Transit District.
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: Every month we get an update of news and information there,
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: and the Associate and Assistant Director of Operations with Reagan
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Mass Transit is lied with us in studio this morning
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: to give us the lowdown today. His name is Steve
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: Davis and he is with us on wix in. Good morning, sir,
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: Good morning Steve. Good to have you with us, Thanks
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: for joining us. Greg Gates is out of the office,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: out of the area today, so Steve has pitched bat
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: him for Greg this morning, and we have news and
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: information from Reagan Mass Transit to share with you as
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: we wrap up the month of August. And we want
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: to harken back to the first of July because that's
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: when we started a brand new service in rural Winnebago County.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: This is exciting stuff and you have, you know, along
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: with Greg, you know, been informing us, not only you
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: know beforehand, we've been kind of building up to that
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: July first preview, but now it's in full operation.
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: Correct, full operation we started July first. It's very interesting
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: kind of because it's a startup job, right It's it's
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: not something that rural Ronebago has ever had. They're one
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: of the only counties in all of Illinois that doesn't
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: have rural transportation. So where we run and have been
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: running for twenty five plus years at Lee and Ogle
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: Counties and now breaking mass transit, rural Winnebago's never had it.
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: So it's a very different kind of process for us,
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: especially in operations on my end, where you you know,
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: I know how to run the routes and run the
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: system and add but to start up a company that
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: doesn't I've never done. So it was a really interesting
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: process for all of us really because nobody's had a startup.
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: So starting July one, went out and did some marketing.
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: We've been out in the area talking to all the
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: village councils and I went to the Sheriff's nine out
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: and had a little booth and talked to the people
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: and just sort of getting our name out there. So,
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: you know, we kind of expect a.
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: Slow ramp up.
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: People don't even know what we do, haven't ever seen
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: us before. But now we're there, we're getting to know
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: some people. They're knowing about our service. So last two
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: weeks we've done over, you know, one hundred rides combined
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: the two weeks, so much more than I thought we
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: were going to be doing by this point, Okay, exceeding
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: all of our goals as far as what we thought
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: ridership would be. So I'm really excited. We've been doing
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: a lot of work with communities. We go and if
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: they're doing a food drive, we'll be there. Just the
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: sort of things to get our names out there, let
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: people know, hey, just call us, we'll give you a ride.
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: So the same service that we do here as Reagan
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: Mass Transit, but there's the elephant in the room that's
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: Rockford Mass Transit, right, that does the urban side. Yes,
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: so now you have guidelines where you can't cross and
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: they can't cross because then the money from the state
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: is different, yes, right, yeah, so big urban versus rural.
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: So there's been a lot of communication between mister Stubby,
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: the director at Rockford Mass Transit, myself and there operations
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: director myself just to kind of okay, if I'm taking
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: a ride from Packatonica and they need to go into Rockford,
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: whose ride is that, how does it work? Do we
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: need to transfer? Because there's just regulations, right.
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: Yeah, So that's been a.
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: Very interesting process for us as well. So we have
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: bus cards that say, hey, you started the ride with us,
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: you paid us, you ride Rockford Mass Transit for free,
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: and we won't pick you right back up at this
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: bus stop. So there are a couple transfer things that
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: have to happen. If it's medical, I take you right there.
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: If it's employment, we take you to a bus stop,
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: you grab the urban line to your place of employment,
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: and then I'll pick you back up at the bus
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: stop and take you home at the end of yours.
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: So there's some moving parts and it's a little different
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: than what we normally do.
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: It sounds like, Steve, it's a work in progress. Oh gosh, yes,
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: the work in progress. You've been in this you know
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: area now for just two months, just two months, you know,
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: wrapping up the month of August, starting July the first,
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: and it sounds to me like with all of what
• 4:12
  Speaker 1: you're sharing with us, that yeah, it's a work in progress,
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: and that you're finding out things along the way, right
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: that I totally didn't realize that you probably need to address,
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: like the you know merge or you know, the work
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: with Rockford Transportation, you know, as as compared to what
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: you guys offer.
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: Exactly like that, And I would think that would be
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: in any startup, right, You're going, you sure, there's the
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: things you didn't know. You knew you needed to know, right,
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: And then this was we needed to work with Rocker.
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: We knew that. But what if there's a an elderly
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: woman and she doesn't want to take the transportation and
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: then walk three blocks to her employment, Well, why can't
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: I just take her the whole way? Well, there's there's
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: differences in how we're funded, and so we figure those
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: things out. We're working those things out. So we got
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: those stumbling blocks. Like you say that, we're just learning
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: on the go. But I could not be more impressed
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: with the amount of rides we've taken that there's the
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: need there. You can definitely tell because even with this
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: brand new two month startup, we're we're taking a lot
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: of rides into a.
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: Well and let's face it too, Steve, you know, the
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: stigma is probably still a little with us a little bit.
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: You know, Lee Ogle Transportation, the stigma is probably still
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: lingering in that regard. I mean, we just recently changed
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: to the Reagan Mass Transit District. It wasn't that long
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: ago that we made that Moniker change, but the stigma
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: is still probably with us a little bit as concentrating
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: on Lee and Ogle County. Well now, no, no, right,
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: it's an expansion. This is Winnebago County now and it
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: encompasses the Reagan Mass Transit District. And again, uh, you
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: know people as you just talked about, just getting the field,
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: just getting used to it, you know, and and still
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: have to contact our main headquarters.
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: Right correct, still comes all the way through us, right, Yeah,
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: so everything comes through us, you know. So you've you've
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: got those hurdles, and then you've got the one stigma
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: that's we're our MTD. Yeah, so so is Rockford exactly right,
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: There are MTDs. So now you've got well who am
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: I calling? And there's some things that just some things
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: are good hurdles. There's hurdles, right, and we're getting through
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: I never realized. So here's the stigma of us, Yes,
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: here's the stigma of them. Who are we're dealing with.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: So there's some hurdles, there's some things we work through.
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: Sure well, but working on it. You've got and as
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: Steve mentioned, impressed by the you know, amount of ridership. Yeah, first,
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: that's great, that's great news.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: Very very happy with the way things are going so far.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: Very good. Steve Davis is our guest today, the assistant
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: director of Operations at the Reagan Mass Transit District. We're
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: getting our August report today. Wanted to look back at
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: ridership during the fiscal year twenty twenty five. You had
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: some numbers or figures or information on that regard.
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so last fiscal year, the prior fiscal year, we
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: were up twelve and a half percent over the prior year.
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: So you know, the big COVID downfall where everybody just
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: kind of crashed and nobody could ride a bus and
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: you couldn't be by each other. Trying to get back
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: into some numbers that were once done or well, we're
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: exceeding those before. But so two years ago we're up
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: twelve and a half percent, and that that's a considerable
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: amount for those in our community who don't know that's astronomical.
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: That's another thirty thousand rides that we're doing. Right. Okay,
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: So this year Greg asked, you know how much I
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: thought I could grow it again as far as the
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: operation Spartan. I basically told him, you know, I'm really confident.
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: I put it up another five percent, to which he said, well,
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: what do you think about twelve and a half Again,
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: I don't think that's possible. Personally, I'm being pushed, so
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: we're at twelve. He's making it so we become as
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: efficient as possible, So we're taking on another twelve percent
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: this year. We're really trying to push that envelope as
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: far as continuing to have that same care, that same
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: quality that we are always do, maintain a new position
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: with Winnebago as well as key what we've always done
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: in the two comedies that we currently serve. We want
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: to make sure we're continuing to have that kind of
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: excellence with them. So we're raising our ridership, We're being
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: more efficient with our timings and how they're on the rides.
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: So just continuing to grow our own system as well
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: as if you're going to do this with Winnebago, then
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: you better make sure Lee and Ogle still are so
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: right now we are at twelve percent growth in the
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: new fiscal year. So I'm we're doing all right.
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: Well, now, you know, with with the added ridership and
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: you know, obviously with the added area of Winnebago County.
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: Now that means you have to I would assume Steven
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: and and correct me if I'm wrong here. There's been
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: additions in the actual force, in the actual physical coaches
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: and the and and vehicles we've had to add obviously
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: right in that regard. I mean with with with Winnebago County. Now,
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: I mean with with the you know up ticking ridership,
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: are we going to see you know, uh, you know,
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: any any additions there are? We are we?
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: So I mean when Winnebago is going to have their
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: own vehicles, all right, So currently we we finally were
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: able to pick up one of winnebeg Oats minivans this week,
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: so it'll still get wrapped and have Winnebago plus Reagan
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: Mass Transit high they get two more coming. Okay, our
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: fleet for Reagan Mass Transit is currently we we we
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: are waiting for what's called the Consolidated Vehicle Program. The
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: c v P in which we order new ones. Yes,
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: during COVID that stopped for five years. Everybody's looking for
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: new vehicles, right and then there was you can't get
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: the new vehicles. Finally last year everybody got at least
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: one set, and we're gonna ask for another twelve this
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: year on this year's CVP to replace some of our
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: very aged ones. And as you say, we've got some expansion,
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: we're needing to expand as well. So on this year's
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: CVP we're at least going to cover everything that we
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: currently have that is aged and had a couple more
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: for expansion. So I'm looking at learning about twelve this year.
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: And you know that comes obviously with the growth. I mean,
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: we're seeing the growth. This is this is the growth.
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: This is what we're what you need to address. It's difficult,
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: I'm sure, you know, trying to get you know, vehicles,
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: you know, replacement vehicles and new vehicles, you know, because
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: of the added ridership, because of the expansion. You know,
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: I'm sure you're probably limited to your you know reach
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: so to speak, but you know, trying to make the
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: best of it.
• 11:02
  Speaker 2: Correct. So I've got a wonderful staff I've had Derek
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: Kipples Are a mechanic who obviously lifesaver keeps us running.
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: We have one, two, three, four. We have five vehicles
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: currently right now that we continue to run that have
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: over three hundred and fifty thousand miles on them. You know,
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: that's their age that they've they've been out and seen
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: some miles. He does a great job of keeping them running.
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: And at least A Gates who works with my mechanic,
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: works with our operations works. She keeps our buses immaculate
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: so that they're not taking on new rusts they're not.
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: She does an amazing job. So we're real lucky with
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: the staff I have that maintain and keep some of
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: our aged vehicles going a little longer. But yeah, we're growing.
• 11:45
  Speaker 2: We're in dire need of You got to keep rotating
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: the stock.
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: Right absolutely, you know, keeping up with the Joneses and
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: again with the numbers that you're you're telling us about today.
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: Step you know it looks like you know necessity you
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: know it is is that there Cort you know as
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: far as you know, uh, the motorship I should say,
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: the motor carriers and the the fleet that Reagan Mass
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: Transit district operates with. Uh, you know will probably be
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: you know looked at and maybe you know, hopefully in
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: future months and years improved in that regard, you know,
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: as we move forward, uh and expand. As Steve mentioned,
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: uh here again in our local Northern ILLINOISREA excitement from
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: Winnebago County, you can still call for a ride again
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: at the regular number. Is that correct? Even Winnebago County?
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: Is that correct?
• 12:35
  Speaker 2: Correct?
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: They use that to correct. Okay, Winnebago County uses that
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: number two again, that general number two again. Uh, call
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: for a ride, you can do that. I know there's
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: works that will probably be talking about concerning uh permanent routes. Uh.
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: You know that's probably still under scrutiny.
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: Right everything so right, you don't want to be leaving
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: from Dixon to go take a ride, Ye, get a packatonica.
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: So we want to set some roots up right a
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: little higher in the counties. We want to make sure
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: that we're getting people quickener and don't have the downtime
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: that we're currently having. So all of that's being looked
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: at the hours of operation we're working with, Hey, can
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: we expand our hours? How does that look? So every
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: day we're trying to grow, not only obviously with new counties,
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: but within our own system currently.
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: And I want to say the survey was recently completed,
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: and you're probably taking a look at those numbers and
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: probably will be having you know, we won't be able
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: to talk about that today, but in future we might,
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: you know, kind of start breaking down.
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: That that's definitely coming coming, you bet, we want to
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: be talking about that shortly, all right.
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: So we got a lot on the plate with Reagan
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: Mass Transit. But again for ridership, there's that general number
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: against eve.
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: To eight eight two one one seven.
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: Make it make again an appointment to ride with Reagan
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: Mass Transit. It's your public transportation system, even into Winnebago County.
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: We're a Winnebago county. He uses that number and again,
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: and that number is the general number. You can go
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: online to REAGANMTD dot org for website information and again
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: for ridership information as well, and keep up to date
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: with us right here on wi accent. Always a pleasure
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: having you on board. So lots to talk about, continue
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: to talk about it. We'll do it. As we move
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: forward into the latter portion of twenty twenty five, but
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: we appreciate your visit today.
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: Thanks a lot, Steve, thanks for having me.
• 14:23
  Speaker 1: Steve Davis is the assistant director of Operations at Reagan
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: Mass Transit. That's our broadcast today here at WIACCENT. Time
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: for news first. Next. Hello, I'm Charlene Bilamotte with this
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: saw local news updates