To the editor:
Living along M-22 between Northport and Suttons Bay affords me the opportunity to watch the Route 10 BATA bus pass by up to 12 times daily. I regret to report this large bus is nearly always empty, rarely, if ever, with even a single passenger on board. Being a low-born person of little formal education I am still compelled to ask these questions; why are Leelanau County taxpayers subsidizing this very thinly used service? And why doesn’t BATA utilize a more appropriate vehicle, like a 6-passenger van or SUV? Climate worriers should also be concerned, as the 50-seat school bus used only gets 8-10 miles/gallon, leaving a large carbon footprint and imperiling our fragile planet. By no means do I object to providing transportation to those lacking it, but I would also like to see someone actually use it. Perhaps our county board of commissioners can provide some ridership data to reassure us that our taxes aren’t being wasted.
Curt Raftshol Suttons Bay
