LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Transit Authority of River City (TARC) is changing things around on one of it's most popular routes.
According to a news release, #23 Broadway will see a new pilot effort that aims "to improve schedule adherence system-wide."
The pilot program will use bus-tracking technology so buses can be adjusted if one is running late. If one bus is running behind and there is another bus shortly after, the leading bus will be switched to "Drop Off Only."
Passengers will be able to get off at the next stop, but no customers will be able to get on the bus. Instead, they'll be instructed to wait for the second bus.
“Reliable, on-time buses are a top priority for TARC and TARC riders,” Executive Director Carrie Butler said. “This pilot program is part of TARC’s overall strategy to ensure that the #23 Broadway and all of TARC’s lines are better able to predictably serve riders.”
The #23 Broadway route travels from Shawnee Park, through downtown and the LOUMED district and down Bardstown Road. It connects to several employers, like Baptist Hospital.
"Being very popular, there's also a lot of stopping, a lot of starting, which means the bus can very quickly get off schedule," Alex Posorske, director of marketing & communications at TARC, said.
To reduce the amount of delays when one bus is running late the control center will notify the late bus to switch to drop off only.
This means no one will be able to board that bus and a trailing bus will arrive shortly to board riders.
"That's when the core of the program comes in, in terms of using this air traffic control model, to be able to adjust the buses in dynamic real time without causing inconvenience for riders, but making the system work better up and down the line," Posorske said.
The pilot will run through the end of October according to the release.
In the meantime TARC will evaluate feedback from riders and staff. TARC will take the feedback from this initiative and identify additional improvement areas to apply to other bus routes.
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