STATA board issues statement
Publisher’s note: The following was sent to the media at 6:15pm (the meeting was at 10am) from STATA via Dennis Oliver who works for Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. He put BlueGo Communications on the press release even though he is not on their staff. Board member Stacey Dingman, who was supposed to be the spokesperson, returned LTN’s call at 5:45pm, saying to call before 8pm. LTN offices were closed during that time period.
To increase operational efficiency and cost effectiveness in fiscally challenging times, the South Tahoe Area Transit Authority Board (STATA) today approved an organizational restructuring. STATA has secured the services of the consulting firm Transit Resource Center for an interim period. Moving forward, the authority has eliminated its transit administrator position and will apply budget savings resulting from this change to hire a permanent Executive Director to guide the growing transit system through increasingly complex challenges while focusing on improving service for its riders and the community.
BlueGO is a service of the South Tahoe Area Transit Authority which consists of members representing the City of South Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County, Douglas County, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Tahoe Transportation District, The Ridge Resorts, Harrah’s, Harveys, Lakeside Inn, MontBleu, Horizon and Heavenly Mountain Resort. Collectively, these partner agencies provide a coordinated transit system to reduce vehicle miles traveled on the south shore of Lake Tahoe and to improve the quality of life through the implementation and management of innovative transit solutions.
BlueGo has been an unquestionable disaster!! With the best of intentions (who said the road to Hell is paved with good intentions?) the millions spent on a new, coordinated transportation system for our town not only hasn’t worked, it’s been counterproductive! After all the money spent LESS people take public transportation than before!!
BlueGo has wasted tax dollars, has never worked well (ask lodging properties if it’s on time % is anywhere near to what it was before the TRPA got involved.) and now has ADDED to pollution!! Fact-less people get on busses!, and more people use cars!, than they did before the terrible invention of BlueGo!!!
Members representing STATA from The Ridge,Harrah’s Harveys, Lakeside Inn,MontBlue,Horizon and Heavenly. Partner agencies provide a coordinated transit system to reduce vehicle miles traveled on the south shore of Lake Tahoe and to improve the quality of life through the implementation and management of inovative transit solutions.Yeah Right No mention of budget solutions! now at $5.9 million. How much of the $5.9 million does the special interest group pay to STATA. I wonder if John Upton represents the city.
Rich people don’t ride buses,poor people do.
What cracks me up at Tahoe ,people will live in a dive housing unit but they all have brand news rides.Go figure?
I think the only reason we have a Bus SYSTEM ,Airport,Parking Garage that loses money, is to please the T.R.P.A.-EPA STANDARDS Rules.
Their research and numbers look good on paper but in Financial Reality they are a waste of money.You can drown the donkey but you can’t make it drink.
People will not give up their freedom to Move,Privacy, when they want to just make the EPA Happy.
In other words, there’s no customers and John Andouh was fired. The system doesn’t meet the needs of the people here it’s designed by people who don’t ride the bus or public transit, which is the same everywhere in CA. Why don’t we ask the visitors and seasonal workers what they want. Design a system for the user, not the partners.
As a reporter, you should be very aware that news happens around the clock. “LTN office were closed…” doesn’t fly so well with readers.
To report efficiently and accurately you should have made that phone call.