VÍA the "Way" to go in S.A.

Vía is Spanish for "way", as in path or route. It's one of las palabras del castellano that didn't change spelling from the Latin original. It's also the name of San Antonio's mass transit company, the buses of which take me all around town. Literally, VÍA is MY "way to go" in San Antonio!

Since some time in A.D. 2002 I've regularly attended the monthly meetings of the VÍA Metro Transit Board of Trustees. And since a couple of years back I've served as a volunteer on the Citizens Advisory Council for the transit company. The Council usually meets on the third Monday and the Board on the fourth Tuesday. Because the third Monday of this month fell on the MLK Jr. holiday, the Council meeting got re-scheduled to the following day (the third Tuesday).

Then the ice storm struck us -- and our meeting got re-scheduled yet again, to this past Monday. This set it the evening prior to the Board meeting! When I arrived for the CAC, there were insufficient members present for a quorum; indeed, several members' terms had expired with '06. Then,a couple of new members did show up, as well as a couple more veterans. So with a slightly late start the meeting commenced. Council Chair, Bill Martin, introduced the new Board Chair, who is Eddie Herrera, a very nice fellow whom I've liked since he joined the Board. Eddie spoke to us briefly, about his vision for VÍA for '07. Then he entertained questions, and we Council members had some good ones. Mine concerned the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), to runp initially on Fredricksburg Road, connecting the South Texas Medical Center with downtown. It's an exciting proposal!

Later during the Council meeting, Priscilla Engle of the public affairs office gave us an organizational description of VÍA, with a handout chart. This also was helpful info. Our meetings, which are almost always held in a conference room of the VÍA Administration Building on the corner of North Flores and Myrtle, always have refreshments, to include bananas and apples. I usually take a couple fruit home with me, and Monday was no exception!

The next evening, at the Board meeting, the BRT was again a major topic, as was the audit of FY 2006. Eddie Herrera, the new Chair, led the meeting and did a fine job. The Board has one new member, and also an open position to be filled. These meetings are held in a large, well-furnished meeting room in the VÍA MTA Center on San Pedro Avenue, about a block (a large one) from the admin building.

The monthly Board meeting agenda always contains time for "Citizens to Be Heard". I almost always sign up to speak for the allotted three minutes. When I first did this it was generally to complain or to suggest improvements for the bus company. But I've mellowed out over time, and especially since serving on the Team for Walk to Emmaus #1327 (Mens) last October, I've given kudos to the Board.

On the other hand, one Farris Hodge , who always begins his three minutes with "Hello, all you out there in Radioland, TVland and Internetland. . .", presents a list of beefs. Usually the same beefs each time. For several months he and I have been carrying on a feud of sorts, concerning the new shelters VÍA is erecting at various bus stops around town. I really like these shelters, including the pipes that serve as seating area dividers on the benches as well as good handles to get up when the bus arrives

Ferris, on the other hand, insists that these pipes be removed. You see, he has a bleeding heart for morbidly obese people, and gripes those pipes might make such vastly overweight folk uncomfortable if they seek to sit down on the shelter benches. My contention is that seats in movie theaters and in the SBC-AT&T Center where the Spurs play NBA basketball are narrower (between the seat arms); therefore, morbidly obese folk would have a terrible time going to the movies or a Spurs game! Ferris, BTW, also always shows up at S.A. City Council meetings, speaks during the Council's CtBH using the same opening words, and presents the same tired list of complaints (a different list, of course, from his beefs for VÍA since the City Council doesn't directly handle transit).

Well, despite Ferris and despite the constantly changing route itineraries and schedules for city buses, I still find VÍA to be not only THE BEST way to go in town, but also THE BEST mass transit system in any city with which I'm familiar. And I've ridden buses all over this country, from Boise where I was raised, to New York City where I've also ridden the subway, to Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee. I appreciate the award-winning transit here in San Antonio, and wouldn't trade it for any other system. Neither am I in a hurry to procure a personal vehicle!