The Bismarck-Mandan Transit service continues to evolve as it works to meet the demands of its growing number of customers, according to its director Robin Werre.

Werre provided the Metropolitan Planning Organization policy board with an update of its fixed-route and door-to-door services earlier this week. Bis-Man Transit provides bus and shuttle services through its Capital Area Transit fixed-route bus system and the para-transit on-demand door-to-door rides.

In its first year, 2004, the CAT provided 225,000 rides, according to Werre. Since that time, there has been a steady increase in use as it provided nearly 300,000 rides in 2007.

"One of the recommendations from a transit study we had done last year was that we attempt to move riders from the para-transit service to the fixed-route since it is less expensive," Werre said. "We have been able to do that in part."

There were just more than 190,000 para-transit rides in 2006, and that saw a reduction to about 184,000 rides last year.

"We're meeting that goal to get people transferred from one to the other," Werre said. "It used to be that we would get excited when we provided 400 rides a day through the fixed-route. Now we're in the 500s. So far this year, we've had six days over 500, and on Feb. 12 we had 566 rides."

Werre is putting together a proposal to create a marketing specialist position. Consideration also is being given to hiring a part-time trainer who can work with seniors and the developmentally disabled on how to use the CAT.

"There are a number of developmentally disabled people who use para-transit that could be using the fixed-route, but need training. The same with many of the elderly that use para-transit. They are able to use the CAT, but are uncomfortable. They don't know what happens at the other end because they've never rode the bus before," Werre said.

Once the new positions are filled, Werre said he then wants to begin looking at providing shuttle services to industrial areas and to the medical district. She said these sites have shift workers and their schedules don't work well with the fixed-route service.

"The fixed-routes just aren't compatible with the shift work. We just can't get the right times, so we're looking at shuttle routes," Werre said. "We've had some requests from businesses; Sykes is one of the big ones."

Since the downtown area does have some parking problems, the medical centers have been looking at options, Werre said particularly for people working in food services, housekeeping and maintenance. By providing a shuttle service for these shift workers, parking spaces would open up in the downtown area.

Federal funding will be available, Werre said, but they will require a local match, which is problematic for Bis-Man Transit. In order to expand services, the company will have to find matching dollars.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)