The paper is based on the assumption that reliable, secure bus stops are essential both to maintaining existing ridership and to enticing new riders either from among small town residents or from new feeder networks. The expectation is that unless adequate bus stops are provided and regularly served, potential rural riders will not feel confident to venture out to take the intercity bus. The december 1984 "intercity bus terminal study" defines an adequate bus station as one that "provides a place to purchase tickets, obtain some schedule information and wait in a sheltered area, perhaps with access tofood service and/or rest rooms." Using these criteria as a guide, the current study takes another look at rural bus stops in iowa, a state well known for its rural orientation. A telephone survey was conducted of a random sample of 43 commission agents in june 1987. Overall, it was found that the majority of agents regard their bus station activities as a type of "community service" operated in addition to another business. They served few passengers and received little financial benefit. Consequently more than 25% of the stops surveyed did not meet the established criteria. A fuller recognition of the importance of bus stations in the overall plans for increasing ridership in rural areas is needed. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1229, Economics, finance, planning, and administration.
Abstract