Watch for another increase in gas.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1220502220071112?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true
With all the increases in price of gas one would think that it would help increase the number of folks using public transportation whenever possable. but I still see buses either running empty or with just one or two passangers.
Most people still see it as cheaper and more convenient to use their own car. It's private, quiet, own stereo, stops and goes as you choose, etc etc.
The Austintown and Cornersburg routes have been pretty heavily used recently. But this may have as much to do with the reduced number of trips the buses make as the increasing cost of gasoline.
While it's certainly more convenient to use one's own car, I can't imagine that it's much cheaper. It only costs me $50/month to commute to and from work. If I took the time to buy a monthly pass, I would save an additional $12.