Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Knox County Transit reports strong early use of Mount Vernon flex routes despite funding gap
Summary
Knox County Transit told commissioners that a June pilot of four fare-free flex/fixed-loop routes in Mount Vernon has produced 813 riders in June and roughly 1,200 so far in July, while staff brace for about $146,000 less in operating funds and reduced driver/dispatch capacity.
Bethany Somar, representing Knox County Transit, told the Board of Commissioners on July 29 that a soft launch in June of four half-hour loop flex routes in Mount Vernon has produced strong early usage and is on track to meet multi‑month targets.
"Within the first two weeks, we were seeing 80 riders a day," Somar said, describing June total ridership of 813 and July ridership already about 1,200. The routes combine fixed stops at commercial nodes and the option for scheduled curbside pickup within a defined service range.
Somar said the transit award for the next state fiscal year arrived July 1 but results in reduced operating dollars because additional transit systems statewide share the same allocation formula. "It's about a $146,000 in operating funds less than what we've had this year," she said, adding that federal funding cycles mean a fuller picture in next October's federal budget actions.
To adapt, Somar said the department reduced full‑time drivers from 18 to 15 and expects to reduce dispatch positions from six to about four; she emphasized that scheduled route hours will be maintained but availability during the day will be more constrained. The board discussed printed schedules and outreach to "legacy riders" who previously used on‑demand service.
Somar highlighted revenue and cost‑management steps: a partnership with Pathways 211 to sell advertising on the backs of 20 buses that will bring in $30,000, planned sales of retired vehicles subject to ODOT approval, and a pending workforce‑transportation grant that could fund a fifth route south of the river to serve industrial employers. She also described a new scheduling and dispatch software launched July 29 that automates night‑before and "on‑the‑way" calls tied to GPS positioning and should reduce phone traffic for staff.
Commissioners praised the rollout and urged continued outreach and measurable performance tracking. Somar invited commissioners and other officials to ride the pilot routes.
Next steps: transit staff will monitor ridership and stop usage, pursue the workforce grant, sell eligible retired vehicles when permitted, and continue work on GPS integration and printed outreach materials.
