By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The Transit Committee of the Representative Town Meeting is unanimously recommending restoration of $133,000 in funding for train station shuttle buses in the proposed budget.

The Westport Transit District had requested $266,000 for the 2022-23 fiscal year for the Wheels2U Westport train station shuttle service.

On March 29 the Board of Finance cut the $266,000 request in half, noting that they wanted to see a clear vision for the town’s transit future before forking over any more.

The service is administered by Westport using Norwalk Transit District buses and drivers.

Several finance board members expressed concern about low ridership with the on-demand buses, which receive large town and state subsidies.

The cut was no surprise, as the BOF has done it in past years. It’s also probable that the full RTM, as it has in past years, will restore the cut before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

Some town officials have compared the back-and-forth between the two funding bodies to a ping pong match.

On Thursday, RTM member Peter Gold, District 5 — director of the Westport Transit District, as well as a member of the RTM’s Transit Committee — called the cut-and-restoration history a “Ground Hog Day scenario,” noting that it was a very small amount of money to spend so much time debating.

“We spend more time talking about this than we do any other item,” he said, as does the BOF.

“It’s a ridiculous amount of effort for such a small amount of money,” he said.

The conversation about Westport’s transit needs and how they should best be delivered, however, continues to be a debate.

Gloria Gouveia, a former WTD director, said she was dismayed that the transit district is pursuing the same ways to increase ridership that were talked about 35 years ago.

“The only way the transit district is going to survive is with a merger with the city of Norwalk,” she said.

“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, we need to reinvent the transit district,” she said. “And I really believe the only way the transit district is going to survive into the future is to merge with Norwalk. If we don’t all focus on making that happen, then we’re going to be missing the bus.”

“I’m not opposed to investigating the possibility,” said Gold, who took part in the debate but did not vote. “I’ve started those conversations with Norwalk. I’ve those had discussions with Weston.”

Jennifer Johnson, another former WTD director, said the current system isn’t sustainable.

“What’s coming down the pike, and what our region is facing, and what is happening in our community, is not being handled by this one-off transit district that Peter is perpetuating,” she said.

“This one-off transit district that is not directly connected to the adjoining region, is not working, and it needs to stop,” she said, calling the stakes high for the community.

Also at the meeting, the Transit Committee unanimously voted to recommend that the full RTM approve the $1,829,957 Railroad Parking budget. The BOF, likewise, approved that budget intact.