Just in case you haven't heard, our beloved Cheltenham Bus is in danger of being cancelled!
On Wednesday, December 16, 2009 the board of commissioners had a public hearing that was listed on the Cheltenham calendar. The next day a notice was printed stating it was the decision of the board to not continue the Cheltenham Transit Bus. As an alternative the board has recommended that residents and seniors - especially seniors - take either Septa or another form of transportation called TransNet.
When it was learned of the board's decision to cut the Cheltenham Transit bus residents of the area started a petition to get the signatures of both the residents of Cheltenham and LaMott, Lynnewood Gardens and stores and businesses that are along the route that the Cheltenham bus travels including the Shoprite of Cheltenham, the Cedarbrook and Cheltenham Malls and the area apartment complexes.
So far over 100 signatures have been gotten!It is planned to present this petition to the board during a meeting that is scheduled for
January 6, 2010. The petition was going to be presented to the commissioner board yesterday but for some reason none of the commissioners were present that day!
In a related piece of news it was found out that the contract for the Abington transit service would be renewed!
This news about the Cheltenham Bus service is still relatively new and all the details aren't known yet but what
IS known is that the more people that show support for the Cheltenham Bus the better the chance that the residents will be able to continue to have it!
To show your support for the Cheltenham Bus service please call the Township Building at:
215-887-1000I will post more news about this as I get it.
On Wednesday, January 6, 2010 a public meeting will be held at Curtis Hall
1250 W. church Road
215-887-1000
215-887-1561 is the Fax number
If you are not able to attend the meeting then we ask that you please show your support by sending a fax explaining your support of keeping the Cheltenham Township Bus running.
You can also show your support by contacting the commissioners for the area and telling them of your support for the Cheltenham Transit Bus.
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Update!
January 8, 2010!The results of the meeting above resulted in the fact that the Cheltenham Board of Commissioners have scheduled another meeting to discuss further the fate of the Cheltenham Transit Bus. The exact date and time of the meeting is not yet known.
Please continue to email, phone and fax your commissioners to let them know that you are in support of keeping the Cheltenham Transit Bus!
Update - February 11, 2010!
A 3rd meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 17th at 7:30 at Curtis Hall.
It has come to my attention that at the 2nd meeting more residents showed up to protest the canceling of the Cheltenham Transit Bus. At the end of this meeting a vote / poll was taken from the commissioners and 3 out of 7 voted for bringing back the Cheltenham Bus. One of those commissioners that voted in favor of the Cheltenham Transit Bus was Harvey Portner.
So yet another meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 17, 2010 and the more residents and potential riders that show up - the better!
We still face a very good chance of being able to save our beloved Cheltenham Transit Bus!
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Update March 2010!
Although the details are a little sketchy to me, it seems that the commissioners' board has decided to give Transnet a try. It is supposed to be a trial period kind of thing and it will start in April 2010.
However this solution requires that residents call and make a reservation first. And this is one of many negatives about this chosen decision.
It is very unfortunate that the public hearings for the Cheltenham Township bus were held during the evening at a location - to my knowledge - that is not accessible by public transportation. Another fact is that the seniors who have taken the Cheltenham bus had no way to get to these meetings because they do not have cars and some of the meetings were held during the coldest days of the winter here in Philadelphiawith some snow involved. It is very ironic that the very bus that could have taken the seniors to the public hearings was the very same bus that was cancelled by the commissioners.
However please do not consider this issue a closed one! I strongly urge all the residents of LaMott and Cheltenham to keep this issue opened! Just because the commissioner's board has made this trial period decision it doesn't mean that the issue is over. I encourage everyone to call their ward commissioners, send them a fax, send them an email, write them a letter stating your support of the Cheltenham Transit Bus.
We can still get our beloved Cheltenham Transit Bus BACK!
April 2010! - Unfortunately these new transit rules do not include the residents Cheltenham that are under the age of 55/65 who are not disabled!
Like I have said before We can still get our beloved Cheltenham Transit Bus BACK!
Here is a picture that I took with my camera phone while walking to a local store!
