INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — At the Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting Wednesday Senior Planner Brian Freeman reported Indian River County’s bus service continues to see rapid growth in ridership along with reduced per trip costs.
All fourteen GoLine routes carried more passengers in fiscal 2011-12 than in the prior fiscal year, with increases ranging from 1.7 percent on Route 8, which runs from the main transit hub to Gifford Health Center, to 77.8 percent on Route 13, which operates between the Indian River Mall and the main campus of Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.
Three routes grew by more than 50 percent and overall GoLine ridership was up 18.4 percent.
The strong increase in bus use last year continued a trend that has taken the service from 200,000 riders in 2003 when it was launched to more than one million in fiscal 2011-12.
The service was not expected to hit the million-passenger mark until 2018 under original projections, according to Freeman.
By carrying more passengers GoLine has pushed down the cost per trip by 12 percent and increased the economic viability of public transit in Indian River County.
Most GoLine buses operate from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays, with slightly shorter hours on Saturdays.
The 60-bus fleet is funded by mix of Federal block grant revenues, county money and passenger fares. It is operated by the Senior Resource Association.
Looking ahead, Freeman and Senior Resource Association CEO Karen Deigl said there will be a new transportation hub built near the intersection of 17th St. and the railroad tracks, new bus stops and shelters, and bike racks installed on buses.