Rides, Fares Up For Kimball County Transit

Rides are up in Kimball County, as well as Deuel County, for the Kimball County Transit.

Christy Warner, County Transit Administrator, addressed the Kimball County Commissioners on Tuesday, July 16, at their regular meeting regarding the increases this year.

According to Warner, their has been $10,996 collected in cash fares this year in Kimball County, which is up $4,000 from the previous year. A total of $13,370 has been collected in medical rides in Kimball, which is an increase of $7,800 from last year. T

The Transit has serviced over 9,000 rides throughout the year and has given more than 250 free rides for town events like Farmers Day and Tour de Nebraska.

As of June 30, Chappell Mini Bus closed its doors. Kimball County Transit has taken hold of the reins there and incoming dollars have gone from $300 per month to roughly $12,000 in the past six months.

Commissioner Larry Engstrom asked Warner how this amount has changed and why it has increased so much.

“We had to set some expectations of the drivers and of the vehicles in Chappell,” Warner said. “We wanted to up the professionalism of the drivers as well as the vehicles. We have spent nearly $16,000 in repairs and maintenance on the vehicles to get them clean and in working condition.”

In addition, Warner added that the transit service has upped the marketing aspect of things in Deuel county. They sent out a postcard to every resident reminding them of the services, and word of mouth has really came into play.

There are currently five vehicles out of Deuel County, including a 2004 bus, a 2010 bus, a 2010 wheelchair accessible minivan, a 2012 seven passenger van and a 2017 wheelchair accessible van.

Warner informed the commissioners the 2012 van has nearly 250,000 miles on it and will be in need of replacement soon. However, with the amount of rides given recently in Deuel County, the need for the two busses is not there. Warner said they have both sat on the curb since November and have yet to be moved.

“The minivans are always out on the roads. We either run out of vehicles or run out of drivers. However, the need for the buses is less of an issue,” she said.

Warner’s projected plan to the commissioners was to sell the two buses and set the money aside to go towards the replacement of the 2012 minivan when the time comes.

A motion was made regarding the two buses as unused surplus and the two will be auctioned off on Big Iron.

Jan Sears, city of Kimball Library Director, also addressed the board with an annual report. In the report, Sears reported the Library Innovation Studio equipment was used over 1,100 times, there were a total of 47 certified users of one to two times, 28 certified users of multiple times and approximately 35 additional users that came in groups to learn and had projects done but were not certified.

While users were welcome to bring in their own material for use, the library had material to offer for purchase for the studios as well. Sears reports $2,300 worth of consumables were purchased in the fourth months of the studio.

A committee meeting will be held July 31 discussing a permanent Innovation Studio for the community in the library.