To the editor:

I live in the Holland section of Suffolk. Currently, there is no public transportation that will take me to job opportunities, which are mostly located in downtown Suffolk and northern Suffolk. I found out about Virginia Organizing after reading the article, “Residents call for better bus service,” which was published on Nov 12. They wanted to push for the following changes:

Beginning morning hours at 5 a.m. Monday through Saturday and extending evening hours on those days to 10 p.m.

Providing Sunday hours between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Researching and updating routes to best meet needs of regular bus riders

Providing bus shelters throughout the city

Having buses run every 30 minutes

Purchasing new buses

I agree with the changes that the organization demands in the city’s transportation.

We need to add more bus routes and bus shelters. Suffolk is the largest city in Virginia by land area. It’s too big of a city to provide transportation services to just one part of Suffolk. Gates County, N.C., is big and rural. However, they have a public transportation service that serves the public whether within the Gates County borders or outside the borders.

Timing is extremely important, especially when it comes to going to a job or looking for a job. No one wants to be late for work or for a job interview, and many people must be at work early. That’s why changing the schedule to 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday would be perfect. Changing the schedule would also be safer for the citizens, especially at night and early in the morning.

Kenya Smith

Suffolk