The Daily Chronicle from Centralia, Washington • Page 17

Chronicle Section I A PREVIEW OF 1978 A REVIEW OF 1977 Twin fs new bus system in Senior citizens board a Twin Transit but in Chehatis. Chronicle Photos Buses meet of transfer point of Washington Park in Centrolia. ByGEORGEH.BLOMDAHL Community Writer Standing room only on public buses in the Twin Cities have caught Twin Transit officials by surprise they did not expect such response during the first moath of operation. The colorful red. white and blue buses began running last month.

By the end of the month. 9.000 passengers had ridden the bus and that called for a celebration. Mrs. ilarie Juhb. a senior citizen from Chehalis was the 9.000th passenger.

Transit officials are pleased with the new system. "I am amazed." beamed a happy Chehalis Mayor Vivian Roewe. She is chairwoman of the Lewis Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority which created and operates Twin Transit. Mrs. Roewe said ridership on Twin Transit uas 33 percent greater than Khat Longview showed after its first month of operation.

"We really have a need for a bus system in the Twin Cities." Mrs. Roewe pointed out. adding "la the early and late runs, the buses are jammed with no room to stand sometimes." Michael Derbonne, the state circuit riding transit manager uho keeps his eye on all of the public transit systems in the state, told Roewe he was surprised but delighted at how the new system has caught on in Centralia and Chehalis. Young and old ride the bus. Lots of youngsters ride the bus to school.

Many workers use the bus to commute to and from their job. Many senior -lilizcns ride the bus to get out and have a good time. The senior citizens can ride the bus for a dime. So can students up to 18 years of age. Children under six ride free.

Adults only pay a quarter. AH of the rides have been free so far to acquaint of the Twin Cities with ihe buses and how they operate. Starting in January, riders will have to pay the nominal fares. Proceeds from transit fares go into a reserve fund for the purchase of buses. Funding for the operational costs of the system come from the Jl per month household tax in the Twin Cilies and from state tax funds.

"People in the Twin Cities own and pay for the operation of the buses so they should lake advantage of them and usethem." Mayor Roewe emphasized. There arc two bus routes the Red Line which runs from Centralia High Students end housewives ride Twin Transit buses regularly. School to the Sleek Memorial Clinic in Chehalis: and Ihe Blue Line, which operates in Centralia only from the Logan area to Ctntralii General Hospital. Bus passengers may change buses at Pearl and Locust by Washington Park in Centralia. Transfers are not used so riders must pay another fare or use a pass which may be purchased on daily or monthly basis.

The daily pass costs 50 cents for adults and 20 cents for students, senior citizens and handicapped persons. The daily pass is good for unlimited rides on the date of purchase. Ask for a daily pass when boarding the bus. Monthly passes are S8 (or adults and $3.50 for youngsters six to 18 years of age. senior citizens and handicapped persons.

These passes are good for unlimited rides during the month of purchase. They may be purchased in Centralia at Garrison's Drugs. 203 N. Tower Ave in Chehalis at the Rexall Drug Store, 510 S. Market Boulevard and St.

Joseph School. 123 S.W. Sixth and in Lewis County at the Yard Birds Shopping Center. N. National and the Twin Cities Senior (Citizens) Service Center.

2545 N. Nation jlAVc. Red Line buses start their first runs at each end of the route at 6:45 a.m. Cenlralia High School and the Steck Memorial Clinic. The last trip of the day begins at 5:25 p.m.

from each place. The first run on the Blue Line starts 7:10 a.m. at Oakview School and 7:45 a.m.. from Centralia General Hospital. The last trip begins 5:25 p.m., from the hospital and 5:55 p.m..

from the Logan area. The lime schedule and major stops oa the Blue Line to Chehalis are as follows: Centralia High School 45 minutes past the hour in the morning and 25 minutes past the hour i.i the afternoon. Washington and Fourth St. (North Edison area) 55 and 35 minutes past the hour. Downtown Centralia On the hour in the morning and 40 minutes past the hour in the afternoon.

Lewis County Mall --15 minutes and 55 minutes past the hour. Downtown Chehalis--25 minutes and 5 minutes past the hour. St. Joseph School--30 minutes and 10 minutes. Steck Memorial Clinic 45 minutes past the hour in the morning and 25 minutes past the hour in the afternoons.

The Blue Line to Centralia is as follows: From Steel; Clinic 45 minutes past the hour in the morning and 25 minutes past the hour in the afternoon. St. Joseph School 55 minutes and 35 minutes past the hour. Downtown Chehalis on the hour in the morning and 40 minutes past the hour in the afternoon. Lewis County Mall 15 minutes and 55miriutc5pjs! the hour.

Downtown Centralia 25 minutes and 5 minutes past the hour. Washington and Fourth St. 30 minutes and 14 minutes past the hour. Cenlralia High School 45 minutes past the hour in the morning and 25 minutes past the hour in the afternoon. In changing from morning to afternoon, there is no service between 12:40 m.andl:25p.m.

On the Blue Line inside the city of Cenlralia. buses depart for Cenlralii General Hospital at the following times: From Logan Area --15 minutes past the hour in the morning and 55 minutes past the hour in the afternoon. Downtown Centralia 25 minutes and 5 minutes past the hour. Washington and Pear Streets (Centralia College) 35 minates and 15 minutes past Ihe hour. Centralia Hospital 45 minutes and 25 minutes past the hour.

Blue Line buses to the Logan Area depart follows: From Cenlralii Hospital 45 minutes past the hour in the morning and 25 minutes past the hour in the afternoon. Washington and Pear Streets (Cen- Iralia College) 50 minutes and 30 minutes pasl the hour. Downtown Centralij on the hour in the morning and 40 minutes past the hour in the afternoon. H'aunch Prairie School) 10 minutes and 50 minutes past the hour. Logan Area 15 minutes past the hour in the morning and 55 minutes past the hour in the afternoon.

There is no service on the Blue Line between 12:15 p.m. and 12:50 p.m.. in changing from morning to afternoon. No service is provided on Saturday. Sunday, or holidays.

Passengers not at a marked bus zone, may signal the bus driver to stop by waving a hand. The Red line route follows Borst Avenue. Johnson Road, Earl Street. Belmont Avenue. Harrison Avenue, First Street.

Street. Fourth Street. Washington Avenue. Locust Street. Gold Street.

Main Street, Buckner Street. Plum Street. Gold Street past the Fairway Shopping Center. Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. Senior Services Center.

Lewis County Mall and Yard Birds Shopping Center; National Avenue to overpass. State Street. Geary Street. Pennsylvania Avenue. West Street.

Pacific Avenue. Market Boulevard. Main Street. Cascade Avenue. Sixth Street.

a Boulevard. mh SXrttt. MiMs Avtnut, 1 Slh Street. Sn ively Ave ntie. 1 Sth St ree I.

Market Boulevard and 20th Street past Olympic School to Steck Clinic. The Red Line also stops on call at the slate employment security building and slate Department of Social and Health Services and bus depot on Kresky Avenue. The reverse route is followed from the Steck Clinic to Centralia High School. The Blue Line route is as follows: Centralia Hospital. Cooks Hill Road.

Mellen Street, Yew Street. Pear Street, Washington Avenue. Alder Street. Woodland Avenue, Summa Street. Silver Street.

South Street. Tower Avenue. First Street. Street. Fourth Street.

Tower Avenue. Sixth Street. Marion Street. Rhobina Street. Bayne Street.

Kulien Avenue. Marion Street, Rose Street. Vienna Street. Oxford Avenue, Sixth Street. Pearl Street, and Oakview Avenue to Oakview School.

The Blue Line follows Pearl Street through town on the return trip to Ihe hospital. A contest was held to name the bus line. First place winner who selected Twin Transit was Don Carmichael. Centralia. whowon a six-month pass on the bus and $50 in cash.

Second place winner was Mabel Painter. Cenlralia. who won a three- month pass and $35 in cash for suggesting "Toorierville Trolley," and Richel Ecgle. Chehalis. a two-year-oM girl, won third place and $35 in cash with her suggestion of "Easy Rider." She also won a one-moalh pass bet she can ride the bus free anyway until she becom cs six yea rs of a ge.

The transit authority maintains an office in doantown Chehalis at the senior citizen drop-in center. Mrs. Shirley Cook is theLPTBA coordinator. LPTBA is leasing two new buses ar.d has purchased three used buses from Centralia. However, two of Ihe Centralia buses were declared surplus earlier Ihis month because they were worn out.Twoolhcrused.24 passenger buses have been purchased to replace the worn out vehicles.

The transit authority will purchase new buses in about a year when state matching funds will become available on an 80-20 percent grant basis. The LPTBA must provide the 20 percent which will come from bus fares to be collected next year. Goal of Ihe trans it authority is to have three good bases available at all times for the three bus routes (two in Cea- iralia and one in Chehalis) and three standbrbjses. LPTBA also moved its maintenance shop this month from Centralia to Chehalis. The bus fleet will be serviced in a garage building on the corner of Cascade Avenue and Prindle Street formerly occupied by Brown Chet rolel- Buick Company.

The city of Chehalis his hired Dennis Harris who will be oa loai to Twin Transit to serve as transit supervisor. Maintenance work oa the buses before had been done al a city of Centralia shop..