As Warren County’s population continues its slow, steady decline, Warren County Commissioners are smart to review the Transit Authority of Warren County.

Commissioners Jeff Eggleston and Ben Kafferlin both supported an outside review to discern the cheapest option for both the types of buses the county needs to purchase for authority in the future as well as the system’s routes and bus system use to make sure the system is running as efficiently as possible.

The review is a good idea. Either it confirms the system is running the way it should or the study finds ways that the system can be improved both to provide better service and possibly to run less expensively.

Commissioners aren’t suggesting eliminating public transportation. But they wouldn’t be doing their jobs if they didn’t make sure the taxpayer-funded system isn’t running efficiently either.

“Everybody here supports public transportation (and) wants to see people utilize the buses,” Eggleston said.

The issue is certainly timely given the county’s discussions coming up this week to approve funding to buy three large buses.

The bigger buses cost $400,000 and last 15 years while smaller buses cost $100,000 and last five years.

Obviously the study won’t be done in time to decide on matching money for the three buses the county has already agreed to buy. But future orders need to consider the system’s future needs. It may make sense to buy big buses now. It may not make sense for the next round of buses.