The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Figuring out how to subsidize the service
[ By Mark Reaman ]
Figuring out how to get people safely back in their beds after a night at the bars when the bus service has stopped for the night continues to be a struggle but an effort is underway to keep the Late Night Taxi running.
Crested Butte finance director Rob Zillioux has somehow found himself spearheading the effort to work with the owners of Alpine Express to provide the service and solicit contributions from various local entities to pay for the late night rides.
CoWest, which owns Alpine, has currently agreed to provide the service “in good faith” and they are seeking a signed contract for the 2021/22 season.
In a memo to council, Zillioux outlined the service that basically runs from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m., 40 weeks a year (plus three days a week eight weeks a year). Service is from Round Mountain to Mt. Crested Butte and is point-to-point delivery. Running the one van costs about $88,000 to operate. The fare is $5 and CoWest wants a $49,000 subsidy when the contract is signed. The expectation is that between the fares and subsidy, the service will basically break even.
Zillioux is seeking subsidies from Crested Butte ($14,000), Mt. Crested Butte ($14,000), Gunnison County ($10,000), Mountain Express ($5,000), the RTA ($2,000), CB South ($2,000) and the Bartenders Association ($2,000). He indicated there has not been a rush from the entities to write a check.
“I wouldn’t mind you nudging your colleagues to support the taxi,” he told the council.
Mayor Jim Schmidt said it should be a topic at one of the regular intergovernmental meetings held by representatives of the various local governments.
Zillioux said he would work on finalizing the other support for the late night service and report back to the council.
