TO: Burnis Morris
FROM: Katie Quinonez
March 31, 2011
RE: Story Outline: Tri-State Transit Ridership Increase
Subject: TTA ridership increased due to high gas prices.
Scope: I can look at TTA ridership for the past five years and see how it has fluctuated.
Need: High gas prices affect everyone in the country, particularly people who live in remote areas, such as various towns in the state of West Virginia, and have to travel great distances to get to work or school.
Methods: I can compare TTA ridership over the last five years and see how it has fluctuated with gas prices.
Sources: I can talk to Paul Davis, the CEO of TTA, to get information about TTA funding and get ridership statistics. I can also talk to people who ride the TTA and learn about their experiences, as well as bus drivers.
Presentation: This can be a two-part presentation. It first can be about the testimonials of individuals who ride the bus and the bus drivers. The second could be about TTA funding and what a lack of funding could mean for TTA riders.
Follow-up: When the continuing resolutions that fund the TTA after the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act expired in fiscal year 2009, I can talk to Davis about TTA funding. I can talk to him about potential layoffs and contingency plans. Davis has already said layoffs will occur as a last resort after higher bus fares and cut routes, which clearly affects TTA riders.
