PATS on Target for Annual Ridership Numbers

The Prowers County Commissioners took care of some preliminary New Year bookkeeping procedures this past Thursday, December 19, when they approved the Lamar and Holly Ambulance Licenses and Permits for 2014.  Permits for Southern Colorado Rural EMS, Incorporated, known as MedTrans Ambulance Service had their permits approved as well. 

Three current board members on the Prowers Lodging Tax Panel had their applications approved for new terms, Norma Dorenkamp, Myrna DuVall and Brad Semmens.  The commissioners briefly discussed a letter from a CDOT Real Estate Specialist, Neal Cocco regarding permission to enter the Big Timbers Museum Property.  The Department of Transportation is apparently seeking some ground samples from the properties adjacent to the proposed Reliever Route. 

Darren Glover, Operations Director for PATS, Prowers Area Transit, said he’s received $150 in donations to help fund the service again this year during the New Year’s Eve celebrations in the community.  PATS spends about $500 that evening for busses, drivers and a dispatcher to act as a community-wide designated driver for party-goers New Year’s Night to about 2am the next morning.  Donations from riders are welcome, but will not be solicited.   

Glover also provided a year-to-date account of PATS activities for 2013.  Statistics show the daily average of riders for the past 245 days at 90; the ytd monthly average is 1,844 and the daily average using three busses is 30.  Total number of riders as of December 13 has been 22,127 and on those averages the end of year total is estimated at 23,410 which just exceeds the CDOT goal for the year of 23,000.  The peak demand for bus service runs between 10am and 2:30pm.  The final commissioner’s meeting of the year will be Friday, December 27.

By Russ Baldwin