How to use the CVTD
Despite its clean accommodations and nonexistent fare, some students agree that the Cache Valley Transit District (CVTD) is lacking in one area: its website.
“It was difficult to use when we went online to check out the maps,” said Kalee Tyson, an undeclared freshman from the Salt Lake area. “It was super confusing and it took me a couple days just to figure out how to get to Wal-Mart.”
Sophomore Sarah Bullen agreed.
“The website is really confusing,” said Sarah Bullen, an undeclared sophomore. “But then once you start riding it a ton, you kind of remember through experience. I ride the bus all the time now.”
The system provides a service to students trying to maneuver through Logan without cars. In fact, Cache Valley is one of only 23 cities in the United States to offer completely free public transportation year-round, according to farefreepublictransport.com.
The Logan Transit District began in 1992, two years after a local grassroots effort petitioned for a transit initiative to be placed on a Logan ballot, according to the CVTD website . In 2000, voters elected to expand the the transit’s operating areas, forming the CVTD, a special service district that includes Logan and surrounding cities. At the same time, citizens agreed to an increased sales tax rate to fund the system.
“It’s nice that you don’t have to carry change with you to pay for it,” said Jenna Hanson, a freshman biology major.
Hanson, a Logan local, appreciates that she can get to and from school without having to pay because she doesn’t have a car.
Tyson agreed.
“I’m a student that doesn’t have a car at school,” she said , “so it was nice to be able to get to Walmart without my roommates having to drive me. It’s so convenient that it’s clean and it’s safe and it’s free.”
According to a 2012 report, the CVTD has no plans to enforce fares in the future. A fare-free system has shorter waiting times and no need for accounting. Since 2011, the CVTD has maintained a record of at least two million riders a year.
For the some of two million struggling to make sense of the system, consider the following.
1) Decide on the point of departure.
The CVTD has about six stops located on Utah State’s campus, including stops in front of the Veterinary Science, Industrial Science and Education buildings. There are also stops in front of Richards Hall, Aggie Ice Cream and the USU Credit Union.
Routes one, four and 15 connect every stop on campus. But to visit the Logan Transit Center and board another bus, routes one and four can be faster. Workers in the Transit Center will help guide passengers if they are unsure of their next destination.
2) Decide on the destination.
Though students’ social activities might extend beyond the CVTD’s operating hours between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., the buses still provide convenient access to shopping centers and tourism hot spots for daily needs. Routes five, 12 and 16 go to Main Street for shopping downtown or weekend farmers’ markets. For more grocery shopping needs, take route two to Lee’s Market or route five to the north Logan Wal-Mart, Smith’s or K-Mart. Route 11 takes passengers to the south Wal-Mart or the Logan City Library. Route eight goes to Gossner Foods. Routes three and 10 go to the Logan Temple or the Merlin Olsen Park.
3) Get to the stop on time.
Passengers may need to set aside 30 minutes to an hour more for errands. Buses usually arrive at their stops every 30 minutes, but more arrival information can be found on the CVTD’s website at cvtdbus.org.