A year after hitting the streets, Vicksburg’s public transit system is drawing increasingly more riders, but not as many as predicted.

In July 2006, the first full month NRoute was in service, 1,478 people rode the bus. In May 2007, the busiest month so far, 2,518 passengers were counted. The buses first rolled June 26, 2006.

&#8220For a city this size, these are good numbers,” said NRoute Director Evelyn Bumpers.

Vicksburg and Warren County have a population of about 50,000.

Revenues from fares in May, the busiest month so far, were $2,222.89, less than half of what was expected. Officials had hoped for $60,000 in revenues during the past 12 months to support operating costs of $281,338.

For that to happen, bus fare revenues must average $5,000 a month.

Even if every NRoute passenger paid the full fare of $1.50 during the next 12 months, the system would still undershoot expectations by $20,000.

But NRoute was never meant to stand on its own, administrators say.

&#8220There’s no transit system in the U.S. that is self-sustaining,” said Bumpers, former manager of the Meridian Transit System. &#8220It’s going to always have to be subsidized.”

NRoute began with a federal grant of nearly half a million dollars used for purchasing the fleet of six minibuses and numerous covered bus stops.

The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen authorized $181,550 to get the project going. Warren County supervisors kicked in $35,000. Corporate interests and local businesses contributed $320,000 in tax-deductible pledges.

Though fare revenues haven’t met expectations, Bumpers said she is confident the money will be found to cover any shortfalls.

Fuel costs have fluctuated in the last six months, and Bumpers said high prices have added to operating costs. NRoute buses used 1,816 gallons of diesel fuel in May, the busiest month so far, costing about $4,460.

State taxes fund some of the program’s administrative and operating expenses. The rest comes from city taxes and contributions from NRoute’s corporate partners.

City of Vicksburg Planning Director Wayne Mansfield said he has worked to sell NRoute as an asset for businesses in need of an available work force and has strived to design the system around the needs of large employers.

&#8220The burden is not entirely on the taxpayers, but is shared by the users, by these companies who not only receive a benefit because it’s getting their employees to work, but are also realizing tax deductions,” he said.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted in February to run NRoute as an independent utility, no longer as a city department. This will allow the system to expand regionally, unencumbered by state laws that confine city operations to city limits.

&#8220The intent was never for it to be a permanent city department,” Mansfield said.

A five-member transportation commission will take over the system in August. Commissioners have been appointed and will serve staggered terms. The group consists of: