MOUNT VERNON — Using a proposed new facility at 503 W. High St. as a hub, Knox Area Transit wants to offer residents free fixed-route transportation services.
Transit Administrator Martin McAvoy anticipates launching the new service in 2023.
In 2000, MOTA (Mid-Ohio Transit Authority), the precursor to KAT, operated modified fixed routes. MOTA also provided call-in service.
McAvoy, who joined KAT in 2013, said those services morphed into a shuttle service, where a shuttle was in each area of town: east, west, north, and south. The shuttles provided curb-to-curb service, picking up riders and taking them to a destination address.
Pre-COVID, if a rider was in the north end and wanted to go to the east end, the rider would transfer shuttles. With the onset of COVID-19, KAT did away with the transfers.
“We know we will always have on-demand requests being rural transportation, but if we can shift some of that away to regular lines, it would be so much more easier and efficient,” said County Administrator Jason Booth.
Riders pay $1 now to ride KAT, but fare revenue offsets what KAT receives from the federal government.
“Will full federal funding, ridership can be free,” Booth said.
Using the original lines from 2000 as a base, McAvoy is looking at the previous stops, beginning and ending locations for current demand, and how to serve business demand. He anticipates each fixed route to take 30 minutes; the number of stops is not yet determined.
“Active transportation plays a role in this, with riders walking ½ mile to a stop or being able to ride a bicycle to the stop,” he told the Knox County commissioners on Feb. 22. “We’re working to get funding to have bike racks on all busses.”
The bus will arrive at each stop within a five-minute window. If the bus runs ahead of schedule, it will wait for a few minutes at key stops.
“If a rider knows a bus will be at a stop at 25 after 8, he can arrive at 25 after 8. He won’t have to wait 30 minutes to be picked up,” McAvoy explained.
Stops that overlap on each route could be used as a transfer point between routes.
Before COVID-19, the village express service to Centerburg, Danville, and Fredericktown was picking up steam.
“We want to get that back up again,” McAvoy told the commissioners. “We’ll look at free village express routes into the city first, and then look at resources and see if we can keep a vehicle in the community.”
For events in downtown Mount Vernon after hours, McAvoy said KAT will continue to offer service on request.
To go along with the launch of free fixed-route service, KAT will undertake a rebranding and marketing campaign. Part of that could include bigger, “traditional” busses vs. the current smaller vehicles. McAvoy said KAT will hold community meetings to acquaint residents with the new services and look.
