[Vision2020] Palouse Empire Mall rejects Public Transportation...

[Carl Westberg]

Obviously, if the Palouse Mall management wishes to end access to the mall 
from Wheatland Express, that is their right.  That truth being granted, it 
would be interesting to hear an explanation from mall management.  People, 
primarily from Pullman, I would assume, who have used the bus to shop at the 
mall will no longer have that form of transportation.  And, as Garrett 
mentioned, with the probable arrival of a Walmart Superstore in Pullman, 
it's puzzling why Palouse Mall management would do something that, in 
essence, encourages at least one segment of Pullman shoppers to stay home 
rather than patronize the stores in the Palouse Mall.                        
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                             
                           Carl Westberg Jr.

>From: "Garrett Clevenger" <onewildearth at hotmail.com>
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Palouse Empire Mall rejects Public Transportation...
>Date: Mon, 16 May 2005 09:41:40 -0700
>
>I regret to inform fellow bus travellers and public transportation 
>supporters that the Palouse Empire Mall has decided to not let the 
>Wheatland Express bus (the one that transports between Pullman and Moscow) 
>stop at the mall anymore, effective June 1.
>
>The bus brings hundreds of shoppers to the mall from Pullman monthly (and 
>many from Moscow, too) particularly students from WSU.  I imagine thousands 
>of dollars are spent there from shoppers who have no other way to get to 
>the mall except by bus.
>
>Everyone I've talked to about this is perplexed by the mall management's 
>decision (they have not gotten back to me about why they decided this) 
>though one reason I heard is because too many people are parking their cars 
>at the mall when they take the bus (considering how much room is left in 
>the parking lot and that the bus brings people who don't need to park, this 
>is an insufficient reason)
>
>If I owned or worked at a store at the mall I'd be pretty upset that the 
>mall management is basically saying they don't want bus rider business.
>
>I've been riding the bus since 1997 and have seen the mall hassle the bus 
>by moving the stop in the parking lot multiple times.
>
>This decision, however, is a shock to us riders and is pretty frustrating.  
>Perhaps the Pullman rider shoppers will head to downtown Moscow instead, 
>but I bet they'll stick to shopping in Pullman, particularly if the super 
>wallmart opens.
>
>This is bad not just for mall businesses, but for the bus because it 
>lessons bus ridership which is not good to insure its success.  Plus, 
>having cross-pollination between the two towns is good for both 
>communities.
>
>If you know mall people, please let them know.  Perhaps their clout could 
>convince the mall management to keep the bus stop at the mall.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Garrett Clevenger
>
>http://www.icehouse.net/garrett
>
>"What are we doing to our Home?!:("
>
>
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