Altoona’s Amtran bus service has goals described as longer-term that include expansion to industrial centers in Morrisons Cove and Claysburg.

That would be a logical step for the not-too-distant future, now that expansion of service to the north is proving successful.

As many readers might recall, the Mirror reported on March 21 that Amtran envisions expanding its current Tyrone service to six days a week from three days, based on the level of ridership that has evolved since last August, when three-day service replaced a pilot program of Saturdays-only service.

The coming near-term change, which is targeted for June, would make the service to Tyrone a full-service transportation opportunity like the Amtran 14 standard routes now in effect.

“I’m really encouraged,” said Amtran CEO Josh Baker as he reflected on what is ahead.

On March 10, 2023, the Mirror, in an editorial headlined “Examining expanded bus service,” expressed the opinion that “any transportation entity pondering or implementing extension of service, whether it be hours of operation or additional routes, faces uncertainty over whether the novelty of that additional service will devolve into lackadaisical interest and support over time.”

That has not happened regarding the three-day Tyrone service, allowing expansion of that service much more quickly than what initially had been thought possible.

The March 10, 2023, editorial said “any new or modified service must be monitored closely to gauge whether the hoped-for results are being attained. If not, there is no sense keeping the expanded service operating — at least not in the way the expansion was first envisioned and implemented.”

Judging from last month’s article, Amtran’s leadership is buoyed by how the northern service was received initially, as well as by the continuing support it is attaining.

A well-run bus service like Amtran is a bargain for its users, not only for people of retirement age, but also for people who do not need their personal vehicle available during their regular workday. And that bargain is not limited to the cost of fuel to run their personal vehicle.

The March 21 Mirror article mentioned people using the Tyrone service to go from Altoona north “for shopping, recreation and, in the case of one regular group, to lunch in Bellwood.”

Obviously, there are some places where such expanded service would not work, but fortunately for Blair County, that is not the case.

Bus service to the south-Blair industrial complexes offers numerous positive possibilities, as long as adequate equipment exists for the service, as well as schedules that meet the needs of those people who could benefit from the buses’ availability.

For some people, it might not be easy giving up their vehicle and the conveniences it might offer. However, when parking fees, where applicable, also are factored in, it becomes easier to digest the benefits bus services can offer.

Meanwhile, a message contained in the March 10, 2023, editorial remains as relevant now as it was then:

“If the public wants the expanded service to continue, it must remain loyal to it. That means using it regularly, not sporadically.”

Once lost, it might not ever return.