CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Regularly scheduled commuter bus runs between Huntington and Charleston and back could start within six months, state officials said today.

Gov. Joe Manchin announced the inter-city bus plan at a press conference this morning. Manchin said state officials have been looking at ways to save state residents money on fuel bills, and the daily commuter runs are one of the ideas they came up with.

"I think it makes all the sense in the world," Manchin said.

State officials have been working with staff at the Tri-State Transit Authority in Huntington and the Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority in Charleston to figure out how to make the proposal work.

Under the plan, a TTA bus would leave Huntington at 6:45 a.m. on weekdays and arrive at the state Capitol in Charleston around 8:15 a.m., then turn around and head back to Huntington. In the evenings, a KRT bus would leave Charleston at 5:15 p.m. and arrive in Huntington around 6:45 p.m. before making a return trip.

The buses would make two or three stops in Huntington, a stop near the Barboursville Mall, a stop at the Crooked Creek Park and Ride in Putnam County and two or three stops in Charleston. Cost to ride the bus would be $4 one-way or $8 round-trip between Charleston and Huntington, or $3 one-way and $6 round-trip between Charleston and Putnam County.

Manchin said the bus runs are one way to combat rising fuel prices. While he said Europeans have been dealing with high gas prices for a long time, Manchin said Europe has a well-developed and efficient mass transit system.

In America, he pointed out, Americans' love affair with the personal car edged out mass forms of transportation like streetcars and local rail service decades ago. "Basically, we dismantled our mass transit system," he said.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Regularly scheduled commuter bus runs between Huntington and Charleston and back could start within six months, state officials said today.

Gov. Joe Manchin announced the inter-city bus plan at a press conference this morning. Manchin said state officials have been looking at ways to save state residents money on fuel bills, and the daily commuter runs are one of the ideas they came up with.

"I think it makes all the sense in the world," Manchin said.

State officials have been working with staff at the Tri-State Transit Authority in Huntington and the Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority in Charleston to figure out how to make the proposal work.

Under the plan, a TTA bus would leave Huntington at 6:45 a.m. on weekdays and arrive at the state Capitol in Charleston around 8:15 a.m., then turn around and head back to Huntington. In the evenings, a KRT bus would leave Charleston at 5:15 p.m. and arrive in Huntington around 6:45 p.m. before making a return trip.

The buses would make two or three stops in Huntington, a stop near the Barboursville Mall, a stop at the Crooked Creek Park and Ride in Putnam County and two or three stops in Charleston. Cost to ride the bus would be $4 one-way or $8 round-trip between Charleston and Huntington, or $3 one-way and $6 round-trip between Charleston and Putnam County.

Manchin said the bus runs are one way to combat rising fuel prices. While he said Europeans have been dealing with high gas prices for a long time, Manchin said Europe has a well-developed and efficient mass transit system.

In America, he pointed out, Americans' love affair with the personal car edged out mass forms of transportation like streetcars and local rail service decades ago. "Basically, we dismantled our mass transit system," he said.

As gas prices began to rise, Manchin said state officials started looking at ways to revive mass transit systems to save state residents money on fuel. Manchin said state officials have talked about reviving local rail service and even considered modifying buses to run on the railroad tracks.

"We're looking at anything and everything that makes even a little sense that we can explore," he said.

The inter-city bus service was an idea that could be implemented fairly quickly, he said. The project will be funded through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program.

If the idea takes off, Manchin said the bus runs will help ease commuter congestion on Interstate 64 in the mornings and evenings. "I think it's going to be very successful," he said.

Assuming the details are approved by transportation officials in Cabell and Kanawha counties, buses could start running in 90 to 120 days.

Manchin said inter-city bus routes could be expanded to other parts of the state in the program is a success.

@tag:Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.