ALDINE Community leaders, organizations, residents and businesses have organized to petition METRO not to eliminate the Route #54 bus line, that serves a large part of the population of the Aldine area.
The petition drive has been organized by Ricci Sanchez, director of the Harris County Aldine Health Center. She has been joined by many community leaders, including Shirley Reed of ACT, William Townsend of North Houston Bank, Clyde Bailey of Aldine Improvement District, Nadine Kujawa of the Aldine ISD, and Marilyn Bayless of the North Houston Greenspoint Chamber.
Sanchez pointed out in the petition text that many lower income individuals in the area depend on the bus to get them to their destinations, such as the health center. She says “they cannot afford private transportation, and many carry oxygen tanks, diaper bags, and other items.”
Sanchez said that if the #54 route were eliminated, it would affect 28% of the health center’s patients. If they are forced to take other routes, travel time might be 2 hours, and in some cases their would not be an alternative route.
