Viewers have been asking us why the Regional Transportation Commission does not have a public bus to USA Parkway to alleviate some of the traffic congestion. RTC says the sheer vastness of the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in Storey County would slow down commuters even more.Â
"If we had a bus that went out there you'd be sitting on the bus a very long time between stops because everything is so far apart," said Joe Harrington, public information officer for RTC.Â
The TRI Center is so large that it is bigger than the entire Reno-Sparks area combined making it an unpractical solution for commuters.Â
There is another option. Coworkers and those with a similar destination often use the RTC Vanpool program. Five to 14  people split the cost to lease a van and gas expenses. RTC subsidizes those costs up to $400 for most commuters. Depending on how far commuters are going and how many people are riding along, Vanpool can save hundreds of dollars.
RTC has over 100 Vanpools in use. Twenty-five of those are heading to USA Parkway every day.
"The Vanpool program is a great solution for anyone who has a long distance to commute and it's not just to the TRI Center. They go to Stead, northern Spanish Springs, even Herlong, California."
Of course, issues arise and what if you miss a Vanpool because of overtime or an illness? RTC guarantees a ride home and will reimburse members for a taxi.
We also asked about the RTC Intercity bus to Carson City. Harrington said that the service is practical because of the need for fewer stops unlike what would be needed to the TRI Center.Â
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