Commissioner speaks on her vote against Wave

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Just last week, New Hanover County Commissioners voted 3-2 to end their agreement with WAVE transit starting July 1st. Some council members said they were surprised by the county’s vote.

Now, one commissioner is explaining her vote.

The vote would not end all WAVE transit routes in the county, but Julia Olson-Boseman says this is a chance for everyone to look at WAVE transit, make improvements and see what can be done better.

Olson-Boseman says, back in June, WAVE transit came to the county asking to implement a tax on cars to help pay for WAVE transit, but she says 1% of the county’s population uses WAVE transit so to make everyone pay for the 1% would not be fair.

She says this is the second time WAVE has come to the county asking for more money.

“I think it needs to be in more highly populated areas of the county with more frequency for people who are actually using it,” Olson-Boseman said. “I think it’s a great service that we need to have and it was more of just a message. Nothing is really going to change.”

Olson-Boseman voted to end the county’s agreement with WAVE transit.

“I went on the bus Friday so I could experience it and talk to people on the bus,” Olson-Boseman said. “I talked to people and they depend on public transportation.”

She says WAVE needs better options for seniors and those with disabilities.

“Out of the 21,000 rides provided at the senior center, only 2,000 were provided by WAVE because of the high cost,” Olson-Boseman said. “It cost $24 to ride round trip on WAVE.”

She says staff has been asked to think outside of the box, so WAVE can stop coming to the county asking for money.

“Back, when they came into the agreement, there was not Uber or Lyft,” Olson-Boseman said. “Is there a way we can do something bigger?”

The city primarily funds WAVE transit and that’s where most of the routes are. Olson-Boseman doesn’t think the county should be asked to keep giving more than they already are to support them. She says she doesn’t know why the vote on the WAVE agreement was a surprise to council members.

“It was the first meeting we had since receiving the letter,” Olson-Boseman. “We could have put it on the agenda and had a big discussion about it, but, at the end of the day, I don’t feel like we should just be giving them more money when they are not following recommendations on what they could be doing to make themselves more efficient.”