JILL SCHRAMM/MDN City council candidates Isaiah Keller and Joan Hawbaker visit with Bill Troe, right, with SRF Consulting at an open house in Minot City Hall Tuesday, May 26, on a transit plan.

Open houses held this week gave Minot residents an opportunity to learn about and comment on the recommendations coming out of a transit study.

While the proposed plan includes goals to improve on-time performance and increase city bus frequency to popular shopping spots, it also prioritizes keeping costs neutral.

The Central Dakota Metropolitan Planning Organization, which includes the larger Minot area, held informational open houses Tuesday and Wednesday, May 26-27, in Minot with SRF Consulting.

Among gaps identified during the planning process were the need for easier fare payment options, more convenient service hours, better bus stop signage and seating, improved awareness of transit services, better integration of transit in new development and redevelopment areas, fleet modernization and improved fixed route frequency to key destinations.

One transit goal is to visit Walmart and Dakota Square more often. Adjustments to the south and southwest routes could provide opportunity for 30-minute service throughout the day to both the mall and Walmart without impacting service along other moderate or high use segments, according to plan findings.

Short-term recommendations highlighted in the study focus on four areas:

– Fixed route service, including preserving service level and adding more key stop signage.

– Bus fleet, including replacing buses more often. While it was noted the useful life of a transit bus is 12-14 years, Brian Horinka, Minot’s transit superintendent, said the city’s average is 17 years.

– Management/administration, including increased marketing and studying a transition from city governance to a transit authority.

Recommendations over five years include adding Saturday bus service, erecting more bus shelters, pay by phone or swipe card technology and adopt-a-sign maintenance. Over a longer, 10-year term, recommendations include more weekday route hours and a new south loop route.

There also was a focus on route segments that have little boarding activity, particularly in the southeast. The study looked at a revised route that could serve segments with critical destinations while removing service from areas with little or no activity.

John Van Dyke, executive director for the Central Dakota Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the MPO expects to present a draft plan to the Ward County Commission and Minot and Surrey city councils in early July.

Once a transit plan is complete, he said, the next effort of the MPO will be to develop a plan for bike and pedestrian traffic.