Cyride
Encyclopedia
CyRide is a partnership
between Iowa State University
and Ames, Iowa
. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames. The word CyRide is a portmanteau of two words: Cyclone (which is the mascot
of the Iowa State Cyclones
) and the word ride.
On July 4, 1892, the rail line, named the dinkey (given by the size of the engine) departed from its barn on the east end of 5th street, for its first 2 miles (3.2 km) trip to the Iowa State University
campus. The dinkey ran on 30 lb/yd (15 kg/m) rail; that is small compared to the 136 lb/yd (67 kg/m) rail that is used today. The dinkey had three passenger cars that were often at maximum capacity because of the growing population of the city.
In 1929, the dinkey was replaced by a bus system that transported passengers to and from the Iowa State University
. In 1976 all operating buses were combined and CyRide was started as a city department. In 1981 Bob Bourne was the director of CyRide. He brought CyRide from a 12 bus, 3 route system to a 65 bus, 11 route system in his 25 years of employment at CyRide.
Students of Iowa State University
are able to ride Cyride without paying the normal fare by presenting the bus driver with their Iowa State identification card. This is necessary on all bus routes except the Gold, Cardinal, and Orange Routes which always allow passengers to travel without charge. Iowa State University
charges a fee each semester to all students for CyRide service. This student fee is paid to CyRide to subsidize the cost of operations.
Reduced Fare Riders
To qualify for reduced fare, you must be a student in grades K-12, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. The reduced Fare is .50 US Dollar for a one way trip. Multiple tickets can be purchased at a time if a ticket book is purchased in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 5 US Dollars. Ticket books can be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.
Full Fare Riders
Full Fare Riders covers everyone else who is riding. The regular fare is 1.00 US Dollar. Full fare riders can also purchase multiple tickets in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 10 dollars. Ticket books can also be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.
Children Under Five
Children under the age of five are free with an accompanying adult. There may be no more than three children per adult.
In the time Moonlight Express has been running, there have been no drunk-driving fatalities in Ames during its hours of operation.
In 2009 CyRide was one of 42 applicants to receive a Tigger grant through the Federal Transit Administration. This allowed them to purchase 12 new Hybrid buses at a cost of $6 million. The new buses - dubbed 'Cybrids' - will get an estimated 6 mpg. The current fleet averages about 4.5 mpg fuel efficiency.
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
between Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
and Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames. The word CyRide is a portmanteau of two words: Cyclone (which is the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of the Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
) and the word ride.
History
From the 1860s until the early 1890 college students were taxied to and from campus by a horse drawn carriage that was operated by brothers, Nichols and Maxwell Livery. The town committee published a report on November 1, 1890 stating that there would be a benefit to create a railroad to replace the current system.On July 4, 1892, the rail line, named the dinkey (given by the size of the engine) departed from its barn on the east end of 5th street, for its first 2 miles (3.2 km) trip to the Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
campus. The dinkey ran on 30 lb/yd (15 kg/m) rail; that is small compared to the 136 lb/yd (67 kg/m) rail that is used today. The dinkey had three passenger cars that were often at maximum capacity because of the growing population of the city.
In 1929, the dinkey was replaced by a bus system that transported passengers to and from the Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
. In 1976 all operating buses were combined and CyRide was started as a city department. In 1981 Bob Bourne was the director of CyRide. He brought CyRide from a 12 bus, 3 route system to a 65 bus, 11 route system in his 25 years of employment at CyRide.
Routes
| Route Number | Route | Starting Terminal | Ending Terminal | Major Streets traveled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Grand Mall | Ames Middle School | Mortensen Road, Lincoln Way, Duff Avenue | |
| 1 | Ames Middle School | North Grand Mall | Mortensen Road, Lincoln Way, Duff Avenue | |
| 2 | North Grand Mall | Ontario St. & California Ave. | Ontario St., Hyland Ave, 6th Street, Grand Avenue | |
| 2 | Ontario St. & California Ave. | North Grand Mall | Ontario St., Hyland Ave, 6th Street, Grand Avenue | |
| 3 | North Grand Mall | South Duff & 5th Street | South 4th Steet, Beach Aveanue, Stange Road, 24th Street | |
| 3 | Birch River Apartments | North Grand Mall | South 4th Steet, Beach Aveanue, Stange Road, 24th Street | |
| 4 | South East 16th St. & South Dayton | Kildee Hall | Highway 30, South East 16th, Wallace Road | |
| 5 | City Hall | Viola Mea & Ken Maril Rd. | South Duff, Lincoln Way | |
| 6 | North Grand Mall | ISU Research Park | University Blvd, Mortensen Parkway, Welch Aveanue Stange Road, Bloomington Road |
|
| 6 | ISU Research Park | North Grand Mall North Grand Mall North Grand Mall is a 340,000-square-foot shopping center serving the city of Ames, Iowa and owned by GK Development, Inc. since 2004. In 2006, plans were announced for a $30 million renovation and expansion. In 2004, a farmers' market operated at the mall... |
University Blvd, Mortensen Parkway, Welch Aveanue Stange Road, Bloomington Road |
|
| 6A | Storm St. | Osborn Dr. | Welch Ave. | |
| 7 | Mortensen Rd. | Osborn Dr. | South Dakota, Lincoln Way, Union Dr. | |
| 21 | Frederiksen Court | Union Drive | Stange Road, Osborn Drive, Union Drive | |
| 22 | Ash Ave. & Sunset Dr. | Spedding Hall | Pammel Drive, Lynn Avenue, Wallace Road | |
| 23 | Veterinary Medicine Building | Osborn Dr. | Wallace Road, Osborn Dr. South East 16th St. | |
| Billy Sunday Billy Sunday William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some... Road |
Osborn Dr. | South Duff, Lincoln Way, Osborne Drive. | ||
Fares
Iowa State StudentsStudents of Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
are able to ride Cyride without paying the normal fare by presenting the bus driver with their Iowa State identification card. This is necessary on all bus routes except the Gold, Cardinal, and Orange Routes which always allow passengers to travel without charge. Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
charges a fee each semester to all students for CyRide service. This student fee is paid to CyRide to subsidize the cost of operations.
To qualify for reduced fare, you must be a student in grades K-12, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. The reduced Fare is .50 US Dollar for a one way trip. Multiple tickets can be purchased at a time if a ticket book is purchased in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 5 US Dollars. Ticket books can be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.
Full Fare Riders
Full Fare Riders covers everyone else who is riding. The regular fare is 1.00 US Dollar. Full fare riders can also purchase multiple tickets in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 10 dollars. Ticket books can also be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.
Children Under Five
Children under the age of five are free with an accompanying adult. There may be no more than three children per adult.
Active Bus Fleet
| Number | Year | Model | Length | Quantity | Engine type | Headsign | A/C | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 869 | 1968 | GMC New Look | 35' | 1 | Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... |
Roll Sign |  |
|
|
| 941-943, 952 | 1973–1974 | GMC New Look | 40' | 4 | Diesel | Roll Sign |  |
|
|
| 890-891, 898, 900, 908-910, 912 | 1983–1988 | Orion Orion Bus Industries Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975... I |
35' | 10 | Diesel | Roll Sign | |
|
|
| 983-984 | 1988 | Orion Orion Bus Industries Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975... I |
35' | 2 | Diesel | Flip Dot | |
|
|
| 980-982 | 1988 | Orion Orion Bus Industries Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975... I |
40' | 3 | Diesel | Flip Dot | |
|
|
| 17-18, 962-967, 985-993, 953-958, 970-977, 994-997 | 1989–2005 | Orion Orion Bus Industries Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975... V |
40' | 22 | Diesel | Roll Sign / Flip Dot / LED | |
|
|
| 926-927, 933-934 | 1993–1996 | Gillig Gillig Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:... Phantom |
35' | 4 | Diesel | LED | |
|
|
| 944-947, 0819-0822 | 1999–2008 | Gillig Gillig Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:... Low Floor |
40' | 8 | Diesel | LED | |
|
|
| 1-4 | 2006 | Orion Orion Bus Industries Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975... VII |
40' | 4 | Diesel | LED | |
|
Moonlight Express
In 1984 Cyride started to operate a on Friday and Saturday nights service called Moonlight Express which has been dubbed “the drunk bus” by students. This system was put into service to allow students to socialize with their friends while offering a safe alternative to driving while impaired. Between the hours of 10:00 pm to 3:30am the moonlight express will stop at any stop along the normal fixed route.In the time Moonlight Express has been running, there have been no drunk-driving fatalities in Ames during its hours of operation.
Dial-A-Ride
Dial-A-Ride is a door to door service that caters mostly to elderly and disabled persons. This service take people within ¾ mile from any fixed Cyride route. A Dial-A-Ride rides need to be scheduled the day before to ensure a spot. In 2005 Dial-A-Ride was turned over to the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Authority (HIRTA) which is operated out of the Heartland Senior Services site in the Ames area.Future
CyRide is considering bringing a "fare-free" system to all Ames residents. CyRide currently receives 270,000 dollars from paid fares that will have to be compenstated for some other wayIn 2009 CyRide was one of 42 applicants to receive a Tigger grant through the Federal Transit Administration. This allowed them to purchase 12 new Hybrid buses at a cost of $6 million. The new buses - dubbed 'Cybrids' - will get an estimated 6 mpg. The current fleet averages about 4.5 mpg fuel efficiency.
Awards
- 2002 APTA Gold Safety Award Finalist
- 1999 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
- 1997 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
- 1996 APTA AdWheels Award Winner
- 1995 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
- 1993 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
- 1992 Public Risk Management Administration Achievement Award
- 1991 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
- 1989 UMTA Outstanding Public Service Award
- 1989 UMTA Administrator's Award
- 1983 All America City Award
- 15 State Bus Roadeo Winners (as of June 2006)
- 2nd place in the 35' bus division at the 2004 APTA International Bus Roadeo
- 5th place in the 35' bus division at the 2007 APTA International Bus Roadeo