Changes could be coming soon to the bus system in Springfield. The city’s buses, operated by City Utilities, are a lifesaver for many people who don’t have their own vehicle. But it isn’t always easy for those riders to use the bus system. Recommended changes, however, are expected to make it easier for people to catch a bus.
City Utilities recently recommended the changes to the CU Board. They come after the completion of a project, Connect SGF, by a consultant hired by CU to look at improving bus service. The project by the engineering and design firm, Olsson, included the Transit Optimization Study.
Kelly Turner, vice-president of customer operations and communications at CU, said recommendations include increasing frequency to routes that operate during the week day.
"So, those routes will now operate at 30 minute frequency like many of our other routes do," he said, "and then we’re going to be able to continue our weekday configuration on into the evening.”
Right now, the bus route structure changes at 6 p.m., according to Turner. The changes would allow more routes to operate in the evening and on Saturdays "rather than our customers having to think about ‘when do those route changes happen? Are all these bus stops still in service in the evening or on the weekend?’ It just provides consistency of service to our customers.”
The recommendations will go before Springfield City Council next month.
KSMU news intern Rich Lawson provided production support for this story.
