Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Knox County Transit to revise routes Feb. 17; officials report impersonation incidents
Summary
Transit Director Bethany Somar said route changes and a new downtown transfer point take effect Feb. 17, fares remain free for six months, and the agency reported multiple rider complaints that unmarked vehicles posed as transit drivers; security measures have been increased.
Bethany Somar, director of Knox County Transit, briefed commissioners on route changes, service hours and safety concerns during the Feb. 5 meeting.
Somar said the transit system completed a six-month service review and will implement route adjustments on Feb. 17 to improve coverage and timeliness. "We're changing the transfer location" to a bus shelter at Howard and Gay streets, she said, adding the shelter is easier to access from Coshocton Avenue and will serve as the new transfer hub.
She described several specific changes: the Kishakstan Express will continue to serve Walmart and Kroger; Round Hill will add North Sandusky and a town-center McDonald's stop, and the agency plans to serve Hiawatha Senior Village with a stop at Hiawatha Pool to increase senior access. Somar said a pilot route south of the river along Columbus Road will test demand to the industrial park and better link north and south ridership into downtown.
On fares, Somar confirmed service will remain free for another six months and that the agency will reassess after that period.
Somar also described an alarming safety issue: multiple riders reported that unmarked vehicles or individuals approached scheduled pickup locations claiming "I'm your ride. Get in." She said one rider was taken to Walmart and paid a fare. "All of our buses will be marked with Knox County Transit," Somar said, and staff have tightened tablet security and other measures to prevent impersonation.
Somar outlined operations: demand-response service begins at 5 a.m. with workforce trips concentrated 5–7 a.m.; regular routes will generally run 7 a.m.–5 p.m. (with a one-hour mid-day break), and a night bus continues to run until 1 a.m.
She said updated route maps and schedules will be posted on the transit Facebook page and website and that QR codes will be available on buses for riders to access routing information.
Commissioners asked about bid timing and facility construction related to the county transit facility; staff said the engineer opened bids Tuesday and the county will award the bid during this meeting, with contracts and pre-construction meetings to follow.
