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KTA outlines three-phase plan to restore bus service; staff seeks to reconcile ridership data
Summary
KTA staff told the board it plans a phased restoration of several fixed routes in 2026 tied to operator hiring, and said it is working with a UT-affiliated group to reconcile discrepancies between APC-calibrated ridership and GMV bar charts.
KTA directors presented a phased service restoration plan and data reconciliation effort to the board, saying operator hiring will determine how quickly suspended and reduced routes return to regular frequency. "We are on the path of being a restore service in March," the director said, laying out three potential phases that would restore Routes 12 and 20 in Phase 1 and additional routes in later phases.
The plan matters because staffing limits have constrained frequency on several routes and have prompted temporary suspensions. Under the draft timetable staff gave the board, Phase 1 (potential date 03/23/2026) would restore Routes 12 and 20 from 60-minute to 30-minute frequency; Phase 2 (potential date 05/04/2026) would restore Routes 15 and 17 and increase Route 15 to 30-minute service; and Phase 3 (potential date 05/18/2026) would restore Route 42 to 30-minute frequency. Staff said those dates are potential targets and that restorations could accelerate if hiring and operator availability improve.
Staff also reported workforce progress: nine individuals are currently in training, three have tested out and one more remained to test; the next training class is scheduled to start January 12. The director tied the restoration timeline directly to that hiring pipeline, saying staff will review progress weekly and update the board monthly.
Board members raised questions about public notices and how riders would be informed if dates change. The director said the agency will post updates on social media, on-bus screens and will notify the board at the January meeting.
Separately, commissioners flagged a discrepancy between two ridership displays: an APC-calibrated system performance report and a colorful bar chart generated from GMV raw data. A staff member said APC malfunctions can undercount riders and that KTA is working with a University of Tennessee-affiliated group, "Hacks for Impact," to streamline ridership and performance data. "We think we're actually under reporting" when APCs malfunction, staff said, and added that the authority will build a web-based reporting dashboard to reconcile the two sources and produce full-year comparisons on request.
Board members also received context for recent ridership changes. Staff noted roughly a 5% overall decline compared with the prior comparable period and cited factors including a one-time promotional push tied to CatReimagined, the introduction of cashless fare systems and broader industry ridership trends.
No formal board action was required on the restoration schedule at this meeting; the board did approve the minutes and named volunteers to a nominating committee earlier in the agenda. The director said staff will post public notices and return with updates at the board's next meeting.
