After two years of serious merger negotiations, Bloomington Transit and the IU Campus Bus Service have reached a standstill in their plans to join forces.
Ray Vanlanot, Student Transportation Advisory Committee chairman, said there has been discord between leaders of the systems, specifically surrounding issues of control.
The problem, Vanlanot said, stems from “ironing out the details of who would be responsible for what in the merger and maintaining the students’ interest.”
He said the IU bus system is keen on serving the best interest of the students, which means maintaining control of campus routes and the mandatory student fee paid annually for campus transportation.
“That money is from students, for students,” Vanlanot said. “IU doesn’t think Bloomington Transit should have control over that.”
Executive Director of Transportation Services at IU Kent McDaniel said each side is having issues with the other.
“As far as I can tell, there are issues concerning organization and control over the system, and apparently neither side has come up with a suggestion that’s acceptable to the other,” McDaniel said.
The different entities have been trying to work through these negotiations for almost two years.
The idea came about when both systems realized the potential for growth if they were to join forces: A collaboration would mean increased ridership, which in turn would mean more state funding.
Vanlanot said this merger would bring about one of the highest ridership rates in the state, making the bus systems entitled to a greater portion of the state’s funding pool shared between transportation systems statewide.
But he also said this was a point of contention for IU negotiators, who worried about the political ramifications of IU taking more money from the state’s pool.
Vanlanot said IU saw the potential frustration among legislators and voters involved in other transportation systems — voters that IU relies on when for state support and funding.
“That was a big hiccup,” Vanlanot said.
But as talks of a merger diminish, neither side need worry.
“They’re at a standstill, but it’s not off the table.” Vanlanot said.