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Free RTA rides part of larger proposal for boosting Dayton

Would free bus rides boost Dayton’s economy?

Would you ride a bus to downtown Dayton if the service was free?

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By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 10:25 PM Thursday, March 11, 2010

DAYTON — Providing free public transportation is one part of a long-range plan to drive development to downtown Dayton.

Mayor Gary Leitzell said the concept includes other changes, such as redevelopment of Dayton’s Central Business District as outlined in the Greater Downtown Plan and filling street-level storefronts.

“Instead of giving businesses tax incentives that we can’t afford, we could tell them we have free public transportation,” the mayor said. “I’m thinking outside the box.”

People could ride to any of the museums in the area, to recreation centers, colleges and universities, etc. One idea is to make buses more trendy with added features such as coffee vendors.

“We need to establish Dayton as a vacation destination, a Day-tion,” Leitzell said.

Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, said free transit service could be a selling point for businesses looking at relocating to the Central Business District.

“The free service could be an attractive option for some people,” Gudorf said. “Like so many things, the critical piece would be funding.”

Leitzell said paying for the service hasn’t been figured out, but reducing the fare could be a start. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be free; it could be 50 cents.”

Mark Donaghy, executive director of the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, said the bus service likely would gain riders. “People would certainly think twice about driving their cars to work, if they had a free option,” he said.

Leitzell asked Dayton Public Schools leaders to consider whether free public transportation could save the district money. Dayton Schools stopped using RTA to transport high school students after the 2007-08 school year following a levy loss that forced the district to cut millions from its budget, Jill Moberley, the district’s spokeswoman, said.

“Our cost lies in transportation of students on yellow buses, kindergarten to eighth-grade,” Moberley said.

Staff Writer Anthony Gottschlich contributed to this report.

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