MOUNT VERNON — An innovative approach to workforce transportation led to regional recognition for Knox County Transit.
At the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s inaugural Mobility Exchange last month, KCT received the Mobility Initiative Award for its Night Bus program.
The award recognizes projects that enhance mobility, implement innovative transportation solutions, and create meaningful improvements toward a more connected transportation system across Central Ohio.
Transit Director Bethany Celmar loves that the award is for mobility initiative.
“We were one of the first ones to get to the scene of nighttime transportation for the workforce, and we made it happen. There have been several other transits that have followed in our footsteps,” she said.
“It’s a huge honor, and we’re really, really grateful and thankful for it. It’s nice to see some of the hard work pay off and be right, especially from people in the transportation arena.”
Celmar credits the program’s success to a team effort among the drivers, schedulers, and other staff members.
The transit agency launched the program in February 2024 with a one-time $200,000 Ohio Department of Transportation grant.
Night Bus ridership has been steady since its inception, and KCT added a second bus. However, funding is difficult, and KCT had to cut the second bus.
Celmar said the current night bus driver is moving out of state to pursue her master’s degree. KCT has full-time driver positions open as well as the night bus position.
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Group trips fuel summer ridership
Celmar said that although regular trips drop off in the summer, group trips increase.
In May, the total trip count was 5,829. June’s trips topped 6,600.
“Our flex routes remain pretty consistent and pretty strong, having over 1,200 trips every month on those,” Celmar said. “They’ve started to take some of that demand off of the demand response.”
However, she acknowledged that for some riders in wheelchairs, the on-demand response worked better than the flex route.
Celmar said ridership in the Taylor Road area is strong. She plans to continue marketing the flex routes and will reevaluate them in September.
“I would like to add maybe one or two more stops in some residential areas just to make it more convenient to get out to the Coshocton Avenue area,” she said.
Celmar said the benefit of the flex routes is no denial.
“If you get to the stop, you’re getting a ride,” she said.
