Interurban Trolley
| File:Interurban Trolley.jpg An Interurban Trolley in Mishawaka. | |
| Headquarters | 221 West Jefferson Blvd, Room 1120 [1] |
|---|---|
| Locale | South Bend, IN |
| Service area | Elkhart and St. Joseph County area |
| Service type | bus service, paratransit |
| Routes | 4 |
| Stations | 1 |
| Fleet | 8 Hometown Trolley buses [1] |
| Annual ridership | 291,428 (+3.73%) [1] |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| Operator | Michiana Area Council of Governments |
| Chief executive | Sandra Seanor, Executive Director [1] |
| Website | Interurban Trolley |
Interurban Trolley is an Elkhart County regional public bus service operated by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG). It was originally known as the BUS system. The system serves the city of Elkhart and the neighboring Goshen, Osceola, Dunlap and Mishawaka. It is made up of four fixed routes that radiate from downtown Elkhart and an on-demand para-transit service that covers the same territory as the fixed routes. The name refers to the fact that the system serves several communities using vintage-trolley-style buses, evoking interurban trains that were common in United States during the early 20th century.[2]
History
The BUS system was originally made up of two routes - the previously independent Concord Route and the Elkhart-Goshen route. The Concord route was established in 1986, providing a link between western Elkhart and Dunlap. It was operated by Concord Township trustee and funded using local dollars.[3] In 1999, MACOG launched the Elkhart-Goshen route, linking together the cities of Elkhart and Goshen and establishing the BUS transit system[4]. At the time, the system used minibuses to transport passengers.
The system was expanded in 2003 with the addition of North Pointe Route, which linked downtown Elkhart and the North Pointe Mall in the city's northern section. In December 20, 2006, MACOG replaced the mini-buses with wheelchair-accessible trolley-style buses and gave the system its current name.[5]
In September 2009, MACOG launched the Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route, linking Elkhart and city of Mishawaka's eastern neighborhoods. It was designed to sync up with South Bend TRANSPO's Route 9. The routes meet at Martin's department store, arriving and departing within minutes of each other. As of this writing, there are no free transfers between the systems.
On February 1, 2010, service on two of the four Interurban Trolley routes were changed. The North Pointe route was extended to the new Martin's and Goodwill stores at County Road 4 and Cassopolis St. (St. Rd. 19). The Bittersweet/Mishawaka route got new stop at the Elkhart General Hospital.[6]
On August 16, 2010, the new Elkhart East/West Route was added. It is made up of two sets of loops that run through Elkhart's western and eastern neighborhoods.[7] The route was originally conceived as part of the 2008 MACOG-wide transit service extension plan.
Current System Status
Interurban Trolley operates on Monday-Saturday. It does not operate on Sundays and major holidays. The system operates from 5:00 AM – 7:00 PM. For the most part, weekday and Saturday schedules are identical. The fares are $1.00. Seniors and people with disabilities can ride for half-price with the valid ID during non-peak hours.
Routes
The Interurban Trolley is made up of five routes:
| Elkhart-Goshen Route |
| North Pointe Route |
| Concord Route |
| Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route |
| Elkhart East/West Route |
The Elkhart Transfer Station located in front of Elkhart Courthouse in the city downtown, near the corner of Franklin and 2nd street. It serves as the system hub, connecting all four routes.
Connections to other transit systems
Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route links up with TRANSPO's Route 9 in Mishawaka, which, in turn, connects riders to downtown South Bend and the South Station, TRANSPO's transit hub. North Pointe Route stops at Elkhart's Greyhound station. Elkhart-Goshen and Concord routes both stop near the Elkhart Train Station.
References
- ^ a b c d 2008 Indiana Public Transit Annual Report pg 49 - 50
- ^ http://www.interurbantrolley.com/
- ^ Innovations in Transit Planning and Financing, Slide 27
- ^ MACOG Transit Consolidated Plan, Page 15
- ^ MACOGazette, Volume X, Issue 1 (Page 1)
- ^ http://www.fox28.com/Global/story.asp?S=11882602
- ^ http://southbendtribune.com/article/20100812/News01/100819832/1130
External links
Public transportation in Northern Indiana | ||||||
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| Passenger rail |
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| Urban bus systems | ||||||
| Intercity bus/express bus | ||||||
| Defunct services | ||||||