Tallahassee’s previous transit system required passengers who needed to change buses to travel downtown to the central bus station to get their connection. This was a hassle and time-waster for everyone.
On July 1, 2011, the system was replaced with a decentralized one that makes a lot more sense and saves everyone time. There are now 12 connecting points on the route and you no longer have to go to the central facility.
The change has resulted in a 12% increase in riders. Like any new system, there are a few kinks to work out and feedback from customers has helped the city design some minor route changes and bus frequency to make the ride more convenient for customers. These changes will take place on Aug 1 and details are posted on the Talgov website.
StarMetro, the transit system, for the City of Tallahassee, FL, operates 12 cross-town routes, university shuttles for Florida State University and Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University as well as a paratransit service, Dial-A-Ride, for senior and disabled customers. On average, StarMetro provides nearly 4.5 million trips per year.
Other new features that make StarMetro easy to use include:
- "Next by Text." New text messaging application alerts customers of next bus arrival times. Just enter the stop # of your location and get a text with the next arrival time.
- Online purchase of fare card with credit card. Previously, riders had to pay cash for a fare card at the downtown facility.
- Each StarMetro bus accommodates two bicycles and some shelters have bike racks.
- Free wireless internet access is available on select StarMetro buses.
In addition, a Transportation Feasibility Study will begin sometime in Sept 2011 and should be complete by the end of 2012. The study will look at advanced transit options, such as bus rapid transit, light rail, and streetcar with interconnections between the universities and downtown in an effort to increase the livability of the downtown district and reduce the use of personal vehicles.
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