Workers depend on SEAT buses for getting to their jobs

Buses key for region, Eastern Connecticut residents and leaders say
by Ray Hacket - published by the Norwich Bulletin - February 9, 2007

NORWICH -- Henrique Cavalcante of Norwich takes a SEAT bus every day to get to work at Mohegan Sun. It's a reliable source of transportation -- but not always the most convenient.

"I think it would be nice if there were more buses. That way I wouldn't have to leave an hour before my shift starts," he said Thursday while waiting downtown for the next bus to arrive at the Viaduct. "It would also be nice if they ran later in the evening."

Cavalcante said he would like to see the service extended to more destinations in the region.

Meeting demand

SEAT is expanding its service, extending its hours, adding another Groton stop on one route and creating a new route connecting New London and Waterford. SEAT General Manager Mark McClanan admits, however, it probably doesn't fully meet the demand.

"What we have is a good system. But right now we're operating on a one-hour headway. We'd rather operate every half-hour instead," he said. "But we have a limited budget and we need to go to places with the most ridership."

SEAT ridership will exceed 1 million passengers this fiscal year, an 11 percent increase over 2006. With 25 buses serving nine Eastern Connecticut communities, SEAT rapidly is growing into one of the region's primary forms of transportation.

But the majority of riders are concentrated in the region's two major urban centers -- Norwich and New London -- leaving the larger population of the area pretty much on its own.

"I can't imagine anyone trying to get around Eastern Connecticut without a car," said Deb MacDonald of Niantic, who works at Connecticut College.

Enhancing the mass transit system is a critical component for the region.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell, in her proposed budget, has included funding for a New London transportation center, tying together the city's existing passenger rail service, ferries, buses and taxis. She has allocated $6 million for a two-year pilot program that would link the region's major tourism attractions. SEAT buses already provide service to those locations, but McClanan admits not as frequently as he'd like to see. The pilot program would double what now exists.

But Rell's biggest regional initiative involves passenger rail, a proposal to add additional trains and service to Shoreline East. Area lawmakers said Thursday the plan doesn't go far enough. Right now, all but one of the Shoreline East's trains stop in Old Saybrook. At a Capitol press conference Thursday, lawmakers said they want to expand on the governor's plan, calling for an additional $26 million to bring all Shoreline train service directly into New London.

"We must focus on mass transit, not highways if southeastern Connecticut is to avoid the gridlock of Fairfield," said State Rep. Steven Mikutel, D-Griswold, vice chairman of the legislature's transportation committee.

But getting drivers to give up their automobiles won't be easy.

"It's really a matter of convenience," said Pat Dunion of Montville, who said he wouldn't give up his car for a bus, gridlock or not.

• SEAT bus schedules and routes are available on its Web site at www.seatbus.com. Inform ation regarding services also can be obtained by calling the SEAT offices at 860-886-2631.
• Shoreline East rail service schedules can be found at its Web site www.shorelineeast.com, or by calling 1-800-ALL-RIDE