Stakeholders meet on expanded mass transit program

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - Dozens of stakeholders provided their input today during the first planning group meeting aimed at developing a 24-hour expanded and integrated mass transit program. The pilot program would run through Tamuning, Tumon, Harmon and Dededo. Senator Aline Yamashita was appointed to lead the planning group.

She said, "I would like to see mass transit 7-days a week, right now it's 6 and I would love to see it 24-hours, but I've been asked to be reasonable it would be 4:30 to 10 at night and that includes 10 to 12 so if that's what's going to happen and we look at all the resources, how much money is that going to cost and where could we find it."

Yamashita stressed that the island's school children would not merge with mass transit nor would the initiative get rid of paratransit. Other recommendations discussed include providing services to the island's veterans, the use of taxis to address overcrowding on transits, accommodating individuals with disabilities, having GHURA provide vouchers to riders, and possibly implementing a van-2-village project providing transportation to residents down south. The next meeting is set for March 20 at 11am at the Governor's Office.