StarTran
Encyclopedia
StarTran is the public transit bus system in Lincoln
, Nebraska
, USA. They operate 14 regular bus routes and a downtown circulator
service on weekdays from 5:15 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. and Saturdays from 5:55 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. There is no service on Sundays. There is a special Handi-Van transportation service for those who have a disability that prevents them from riding a regular city bus.
, a program which began in February 2005. The two remaining buses in the fleet operate on biodiesel
fuel (75% diesel/25% soybean oil
), and have since January 1994.
Ridership in 2004-2005 was 1,648,744, 97% of which were riders on fixed routes. 1,715,530 collective revenue miles were traveled by the fleet in the same year, 82.02% of which were on fixed routes.
All routes operate on a "spoke" arrangement from the downtown, adding to travel time for cross-town trips, and creating unnecessary detours for some routes, such as the former "27th Street Shuttle", which bypassed a densely populated neighborhood.
is a supplier of StarTran public transportation vehicles.
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, USA. They operate 14 regular bus routes and a downtown circulator
Downtown circulator
A downtown circulator is a general term in the United States for a road or bus system to distribute traffic or people through a downtown area.Specific examples include:*Miami, Florida's Downtown Distributor*Pawtucket, Rhode Island's Downtown Circulator...
service on weekdays from 5:15 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. and Saturdays from 5:55 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. There is no service on Sundays. There is a special Handi-Van transportation service for those who have a disability that prevents them from riding a regular city bus.
Environmental
StarTran is one of few transit systems utilizing ethanol-powered buses. All but two buses in the StarTran fleet operate on an environmentally-friendly mixture of 92% blended diesel and 8% ethanolEthanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, a program which began in February 2005. The two remaining buses in the fleet operate on biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
fuel (75% diesel/25% soybean oil
Soybean oil
Soybean oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the soybean . It is one of the most widely consumed cooking oils. As a drying oil, processed soybean oil is also used as a base for printing inks and oil paints...
), and have since January 1994.
Statistics
StarTran's 2005-2006 annual operating budget was $8,585,826, 65.75% of which was funded through the city, 16.64% from user fees, 16.06% federally, and 1.55% through the state of Nebraska. The total ridership for StarTran in the 2005-2006 year was 1,826,289 riders. StarTran's nearly 70 full-size coaches and handi-vans traveled 1,740,148 miles in the 2005-2006 year.Ridership in 2004-2005 was 1,648,744, 97% of which were riders on fixed routes. 1,715,530 collective revenue miles were traveled by the fleet in the same year, 82.02% of which were on fixed routes.
Route list
- 14 West Van Dorn
- 24 Holdrege
- 40/41 Havelock/Heart Hospital
- 42/43 Bethany/Normal
- 44 O St/Community College
- 45/46 Arapahoe/Arnold Heights
- 47/48 Belmont/Salt Valley
- 49/50 University Place/College View
- 51/52 West A St/Gaslight
- 53 Southpointe
- 54 Veterans Hospital
- 56 South Neighborhoods
- 57 North Neighborhoods
Criticism
StarTran does not operate on Sundays, and weekday service ends early in the evening.All routes operate on a "spoke" arrangement from the downtown, adding to travel time for cross-town trips, and creating unnecessary detours for some routes, such as the former "27th Street Shuttle", which bypassed a densely populated neighborhood.
Operation
Mid America Coach, Inc.Mid America Coach, Inc.
Mid America Coach, Inc. is a privately owned bus and coach supplier located in Kansas City, Missouri. Mid America Coach provides public transportation vehicles for the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Kansas Coordinated Transit District Council of the Kansas Department of Transportation...
is a supplier of StarTran public transportation vehicles.