Knox County Transit Director Bethany Celmar informed the Knox County Board of Commissioners at its August 26 meeting that the flex routes initiated on June 2 are performing exceptionally well.
According to a YouTube video of the meeting, Celmar reported that during the week of August 17, the transit agency recorded 345 trips on its flex routes, averaging 70 riders daily. She noted that the Coshocton Express is currently the busiest route.
"We are actually looking at switching around staff and having a big bus for that because we are finding that we have several times that we have all nine seats filled on those buses, and probably could use more. So that is really good, it's a good problem to have, although it does mean that we have to switch some things around and figure out staffing, what we're going to do," Celmar said.
Celmar explained that while the transit agency strives to make services more convenient through flexible routing, this is only feasible if time permits. Some riders notice little difference between using the free route and on-demand services since the bus often passes by their homes regardless. However, as ridership increases, less time is available for flexibility, which may result in passengers being dropped off further from their destinations. Consequently, there is an increased need for transferring between buses. To address this issue, a shelter is being sought for the transfer point to enhance comfort for waiting passengers.
The video also reveals Celmar's comments on identifying high-performing routes versus those with lower usage. Adjustments will be made in December to optimize service by eliminating underused stops and reallocating resources where demand is higher. New software has improved customer service by facilitating better communication about bus arrivals at locations such as nursing homes. Previously multiple calls were required as buses approached; now efforts are underway to notify when a bus is five minutes away.
Celmar said that the free routes are part of a one-year pilot program subject to evaluation based on budget constraints and federal funding availability. Depending on these factors, they might extend or otherwise introduce fares.
