Interurban Trolley
Encyclopedia
Interurban Trolley is an Elkhart County
regional public bus service operated by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG). It was originally known as the BUS system. The system serves the city of Elkhart
and neighboring Goshen
, Osceola
, Dunlap
and Mishawaka. It is made up of five fixed routes that radiate from downtown Elkhart and an on-demand para-transit service that covers the same territory as the fixed routes. The name refers to the fact that the system serves several communities using vintage-trolley-style buses, evoking interurban trains that were common in United States during the early 20th century.
. It was operated by Concord Township
trustee and funded using local dollars. In 1999, MACOG launched the Elkhart-Goshen route, linking together the cities of Elkhart and Goshen and establishing the BUS transit system. At the time, the system used minibus
es to transport passengers.
The system was expanded in 2003 with the addition of North Pointe Route, which linked downtown Elkhart and the North Pointe Mall in the city's northern section. On December 20, 2006, MACOG replaced the mini-buses with wheelchair-accessible trolley-style buses and gave the system its current name.
In September 2009, MACOG launched the Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route, linking Elkhart and city of Mishawaka's eastern neighborhoods. It was designed to sync up with South Bend TRANSPO's Route 9. The routes meet at Martin's department store, arriving and departing within minutes of each other. As of this writing, there are no free transfers between the systems.
On February 1, 2010, service on two of the four Interurban Trolley routes were changed. The North Pointe route was extended to the new Martin's and Goodwill stores at County Road 4 and Cassopolis St. (St. Rd. 19). The Bittersweet/Mishawaka route got new stop at the Elkhart General Hospital.
On August 16, 2010, the new Elkhart East/West Route was added. It is made up of two sets of loops that run through Elkhart's western and eastern neighborhoods, intersecting at the system's transit hub. The route was originally conceived as a way to fill a service gap identified in the 2007 MACOG coordinated transportation plan.
The Elkhart Transfer Station serves as the system hub. It is located near The Elkhart Courthouse in the city's downtown, on Franklin Street, between 2nd St. and 3rd St. All given routes stop here within minutes of each other, creating convenient transfers.
station. Elkhart-Goshen and Concord routes both stop near the Elkhart Train Station
.
Elkhart County, Indiana
Elkhart County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. Much of the county is in the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area...
regional public bus service operated by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG). It was originally known as the BUS system. The system serves the city of Elkhart
Elkhart, Indiana
Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
and neighboring Goshen
Goshen, Indiana
Goshen is a city in and the county seat of Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. It is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the northern...
, Osceola
Osceola, Indiana
Osceola is a town in Penn Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,463 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.The town is named after Seminole fighter, Osceola...
, Dunlap
Dunlap, Indiana
Dunlap is a census-designated place in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,235 at the 2010 census. Once a small farming community, by the 1980s it had become a suburb of Elkhart and Goshen, Indiana. Most of the town was destroyed by two violent F4 tornadoes during the Palm...
and Mishawaka. It is made up of five fixed routes that radiate from downtown Elkhart and an on-demand para-transit service that covers the same territory as the fixed routes. The name refers to the fact that the system serves several communities using vintage-trolley-style buses, evoking interurban trains that were common in United States during the early 20th century.
History
The BUS system was originally made up of two routes – the previously independent Concord Route and the Elkhart-Goshen route. The Concord route was established in 1986, providing a link between western Elkhart and DunlapDunlap, Indiana
Dunlap is a census-designated place in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,235 at the 2010 census. Once a small farming community, by the 1980s it had become a suburb of Elkhart and Goshen, Indiana. Most of the town was destroyed by two violent F4 tornadoes during the Palm...
. It was operated by Concord Township
Concord Township, Elkhart County, Indiana
Concord Township is one of sixteen townships in Elkhart County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 55,377.-Geography:Concord Township covers an area of ; of this is water.-Cities and towns:* Dunlap* Elkhart...
trustee and funded using local dollars. In 1999, MACOG launched the Elkhart-Goshen route, linking together the cities of Elkhart and Goshen and establishing the BUS transit system. At the time, the system used minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es to transport passengers.
The system was expanded in 2003 with the addition of North Pointe Route, which linked downtown Elkhart and the North Pointe Mall in the city's northern section. On December 20, 2006, MACOG replaced the mini-buses with wheelchair-accessible trolley-style buses and gave the system its current name.
In September 2009, MACOG launched the Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route, linking Elkhart and city of Mishawaka's eastern neighborhoods. It was designed to sync up with South Bend TRANSPO's Route 9. The routes meet at Martin's department store, arriving and departing within minutes of each other. As of this writing, there are no free transfers between the systems.
On February 1, 2010, service on two of the four Interurban Trolley routes were changed. The North Pointe route was extended to the new Martin's and Goodwill stores at County Road 4 and Cassopolis St. (St. Rd. 19). The Bittersweet/Mishawaka route got new stop at the Elkhart General Hospital.
On August 16, 2010, the new Elkhart East/West Route was added. It is made up of two sets of loops that run through Elkhart's western and eastern neighborhoods, intersecting at the system's transit hub. The route was originally conceived as a way to fill a service gap identified in the 2007 MACOG coordinated transportation plan.
Current System Status
Interurban Trolley operates on Monday-Saturday. It does not operate on Sundays and major holidays. The system operates from 5:00 am – 7:00 pm. For the most part, weekday and Saturday schedules are identical. The fares are $1.00. Seniors and people with disabilities can ride for half-price with the valid ID during non-peak hours.Routes
The Interurban Trolley is made up of five routes:| Elkhart-Goshen Route |
| North Pointe Route |
| Concord Route |
| Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route |
| Elkhart East/West Route |
The Elkhart Transfer Station serves as the system hub. It is located near The Elkhart Courthouse in the city's downtown, on Franklin Street, between 2nd St. and 3rd St. All given routes stop here within minutes of each other, creating convenient transfers.
Connections to other transit systems
Bittersweet/Mishawaka Route links up with TRANSPO's Route 9 in Mishawaka, which, in turn, connects riders to downtown South Bend and the South Station, TRANSPO's transit hub. North Pointe Route stops at Elkhart's GreyhoundGreyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
station. Elkhart-Goshen and Concord routes both stop near the Elkhart Train Station
Elkhart (Amtrak station)
Elkhart is a train station in Elkhart, Indiana served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. Elkhart is the second station on both the eastbound Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited toward New York City and Washington DC...
.