KirkTran deviated fixed route proposed to add stops at library, health department and northern employment sites; council sees demand‑response outreach as key

Kirksville’s public transit (KirkTran) staff presented a proposed deviated‑fixed route that would add a net three stops to the existing circulation and place fixed stops at locations the council had requested, including the public library, County Health Department nutrition site and the industrial park.

Staff presentation: transit staff said the proposed route eliminates one existing stop and adds four new stops for a net gain of three. He said the route as designed is possible within the 60‑minute round trip — allowing a 10‑minute deviation window on either side when a passenger requests a pick‑up — but that not every desired destination could be included within the one‑hour schedule because of time constraints. Staff stressed the route remains “deviated”: riders can call in and request service off‑route if advance scheduling is provided.

Service access and outreach: councilmembers said some high‑priority social services (for example, the food pantry) do not operate full hours every weekday and so adding a permanent stop on the fixed route might be inefficient; transit staff and councilmembers discussed directing outreach to social‑service partners so clients learn how to use demand‑response scheduling. Transit staff offered to work with communications staff to develop simple materials the pantry, senior services and other providers could hand out explaining how to schedule demand‑response pickups.

Why it matters: the route changes seek to increase transit access to key destinations (library, health department and job sites at the industrial park) while balancing reliability and the one‑hour schedule that KirkTran uses for turn times. Councilmembers treated the proposed route as an administrative item that staff could implement unless there were major objections.

Next steps: staff will finalize the route schedule, coordinate outreach materials with communications staff and test the route in cooperation with Oates (service provider) as part of implementation planning. Council members asked staff to track demand at new stops so future adjustments can be data‑driven.