2007-02-20

Conway Daily Sun

Public shuttles try to balance local, tourist need for public transportation

Dena Libner

CONWAY — White Mountain Transit Authority's boxy shuttles ran the length of North Conway's commercial strip for the second weekend in a row Feb. 10-11, and owners say they're encouraged by the public's response and suggestions for route expansion.
Over February school vacation, the shuttles will run daily.
Early on, shuttle co-owner Jonathan Bliss had touted the public transportation service as a benefit to shoppers, skiers and local workers. The route encompasses almost all of the commercial North Conway epicenters: North Conway Grand marks the circuit's northernmost stop; the shuttle also stops at Settlers' Green and Cranmore Ski Resort.
Metropolitan Coffee House (The Met) is a new, major stop for the shuttle. The coffee shop sits in the center of North Conway Village, close to a number of residences. Village residents can ride the shuttle to Settlers' Green or North Conway Grand, for example, for work.
Bliss said that other locals have encouraged him to plan stops at Hannaford and Shaw's supermarket. On even the coldest days of winter, drivers can see people walking (and sometimes biking) along North-South Road or Route 16.
"No one should have to do that," Bliss said. "If people want the shuttles to go to the grocery store, and there are enough people who want it, we'll try to make that happen."
Achieving a balance between a fast, efficient route and getting locals to the places they want to go might prove difficult.
There were relatively few visitors in the area on the weekends of Feb. 3 and Feb. 9, the first two weekends of the shuttle's run around North Conway. The route took about 30 minutes to complete; in busier times, like the February school break, the roads will be clogged with out-of-town cars, and the route will take longer.
"With two buses running simultaneously, we'll alleviate a lot of (traffic congestion)," Bliss said. "Our main goal is to come to each stop as frequently as possible with the resources we have.
"And all we have right now are two buses, and one main thoroughfare," he added. "If everything goes well, we'll have to expand down the line and maybe add a third bus."
Overall, he said, shuttle customers were pleased to find the shuttles warm, clean and equipped with cushioned seats.
Just one shuttle ran over the first two weekends, which Bliss described as "test runs." A second shuttle will be on the road during this week's February vacation.
White Mountain Transit Authority is co-owned by Bliss and Massachusetts-based Michael Curreri. Curreri owns a bus company called Entertainment Tours, out of Braintree, Mass.
Except for Vacation Week, in the winter, heated shuttles, equipped with ski racks, will run only on weekends: Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Routes will take about 30 minutes to complete.
In the summer, the shuttles will be replaced with classic red trolleys. They will run daily.
This winter, the shuttle will make stops at designated businesses. Stops along the route include, from south to north: North Conway Grand Hotel, Settlers' Green, Eastern Slope Inn, Cranmore Ski Resort, Delaney's Hole in the Wall, May Kelly's Cottage, Moat Mountain Smokehouse and the scenic vista.
For more information on the shuttles and routes, call 986-6887.