Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, commonly known as IndyGo, operates the public transit system for the city of Indianapolis
, Indiana
.
took over public transportation in 1975 and established the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation to administer bus services. The corporation originally operated buses under the name Metro Bus; the IndyGo name was adopted in 1996. Portions of the system were briefly privatized
in the 1990s, but the move proved unpopular, and all operations were ultimately taken over by the city.
IndyGo has seen a near-constant trend of decreasing ridership since the 1970s and continues to explore options for revitalization. "Express" bus routes were used in the 1980s as an attempt to gain more middle-class riders from outlying areas, but the routes were largely discontinued by the early 2000s. In the fall of 2007 IndyGo resumed express routes including one to Indianapolis International Airport
.
In early 2006, the city approved preparations for a new transit center, similar to ones in Columbus
and Charlotte
.
IndyGo operates 28 fixed routes with some 5,000 stops, bus frequency varying on the popularity of the route. The system carries approximately 9 million passengers annually, traveling a total distance of about 9 million miles. While IndyGo provides bus service primarily in Indianapolis
, certain IndyGo fixed routes extend south of the city into Johnson County
.
The Blue Line downtown circulator route was added in 2005 to attract passengers and saw considerable ridership. In late 2006, IndyGo complemented the Blue Line with the introduction of the Red Line, which runs between IUPUI and downtown. The Blue Line’s ridership declined as federal funding allotted for the route ran out, and the route was discontinued after the end of the day on December 31, 2007; the Red Line will remain a free route until January 2009, when it will become a regularly priced route.
In the fall of 2007 IndyGo introduced an express route operated by a contractor, using ADA accessible MCI J4500 motor coaches, the route runs from downtown to the northern suburb of Fishers in Hamilton County
, which is the most populous suburban county of Indianapolis. In March 2008 an additional express route to Carmel (also in Hamilton County) was launched, followed in March 2009 by express service to Greenwood, a southern suburb in Johnson County
. In September 2009 it was announced that the ICE Express Routes to Greenwood, Fishers and Carmel would be discontinued in 2010 after their federal grants expire.
Most of the 150 fixed-route vehicles in the city's fleet are Gillig
Low Floor Coaches manufactured in the 2000s, though a few models from the 1990s remain in service on busier routes. IndyGo also operates 40 Flexible Service vans and employs a contractor to operate an additional 40.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
History
IndyGo's history begins in 1953, when the city's streetcar system was converted to bus routes, most of which followed the same routes as used by the streetcars. The city of IndianapolisUnigov
Unigov is the name adopted by the city of Indianapolis to describe its consolidated city–county government. By an act of the Indiana state legislature, Indianapolis consolidated with the government of Marion County in 1970. Within Unigov are eleven "included towns", which maintain some of their own...
took over public transportation in 1975 and established the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation to administer bus services. The corporation originally operated buses under the name Metro Bus; the IndyGo name was adopted in 1996. Portions of the system were briefly privatized
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
in the 1990s, but the move proved unpopular, and all operations were ultimately taken over by the city.
IndyGo has seen a near-constant trend of decreasing ridership since the 1970s and continues to explore options for revitalization. "Express" bus routes were used in the 1980s as an attempt to gain more middle-class riders from outlying areas, but the routes were largely discontinued by the early 2000s. In the fall of 2007 IndyGo resumed express routes including one to Indianapolis International Airport
Indianapolis International Airport
Indianapolis International Airport is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Indianapolis, a city in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority...
.
In early 2006, the city approved preparations for a new transit center, similar to ones in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
and Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
.
Routes
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, certain IndyGo fixed routes extend south of the city into Johnson County
Johnson County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 115,209 people, 42,434 households, and 31,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 360 people per square mile . There were 45,095 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile...
.
The Blue Line downtown circulator route was added in 2005 to attract passengers and saw considerable ridership. In late 2006, IndyGo complemented the Blue Line with the introduction of the Red Line, which runs between IUPUI and downtown. The Blue Line’s ridership declined as federal funding allotted for the route ran out, and the route was discontinued after the end of the day on December 31, 2007; the Red Line will remain a free route until January 2009, when it will become a regularly priced route.
In the fall of 2007 IndyGo introduced an express route operated by a contractor, using ADA accessible MCI J4500 motor coaches, the route runs from downtown to the northern suburb of Fishers in Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Indiana
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 274,569. The county seat is Noblesville....
, which is the most populous suburban county of Indianapolis. In March 2008 an additional express route to Carmel (also in Hamilton County) was launched, followed in March 2009 by express service to Greenwood, a southern suburb in Johnson County
Johnson County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 115,209 people, 42,434 households, and 31,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 360 people per square mile . There were 45,095 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile...
. In September 2009 it was announced that the ICE Express Routes to Greenwood, Fishers and Carmel would be discontinued in 2010 after their federal grants expire.
Route list
- 2 E. 34th St.
- 3 Michigan St.
- 4 Fort Harrison
- 5 E. 25th St./North Harding
- 8 Washington St.
- 10 10th St.
- 11 E. 16th St.
- 12 Beechcrest
- 15 Riverside
- 16 Beech Grove
- 17 College
- 18 Nora
- 19 Castleton
- 21 21st St.
- 22 Shelby
- 24 Mars Hill
- 25 W. 16th St.
- 26 Keystone Crossing
- 28 St. Vincent
- 30 30th St. Crosstown
- 31 Greenwood
- 34 Michigan Rd.
- 37 Park 100
- 38 Lafayette Square
- 39 E. 38th St.
- 55 English
- 87 Eastside Circulator
Fleet
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 Coaches manufactured in the 2000s, though a few models from the 1990s remain in service on busier routes. IndyGo also operates 40 Flexible Service vans and employs a contractor to operate an additional 40.