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Columbia Transit

File:Columbia Transit logo.png
Founded	September 20, 1965
Headquarters	Wabash Station at 126 North Tenth Street
Locale	Columbia, MO
Service type	bus service, paratransit
Routes	Fixed-route: 101-106 MU Shuttle: 201-209
Stations	Wabash Bus Station
Fleet	New Flyer, ElDorado National, Gilling
Daily ridership	Over 2 million passengers annually
Operator	City of Columbia, Public Works Department, Transit Division
Website	Transportation

Columbia Transit is a city-owned public bus system that serves the city of Columbia, Missouri. The system operates Monday through Saturday, except on major holidays. Services include fixed-route services, on-call para-transit shuttles for the disabled, a system of commuter shuttles for students and employees of the University of Missouri, and hotel shuttles (known as the "Spirit Shuttle") during MU football games. In fiscal year 2009, 2,007,263 rides were logged along the system's six fixed routes and University of Missouri Shuttle routes, while the latest available records show 27,000 rides logged aboard the para-transit service.

History

The system was formerly operated by the Columbia Municipal Bus Lines Company from 1945 to 1965. On September 10, 1965, after the company went out of business, the city of Columbia took over the operation of the system. Originally it had ten orbital routes, in addition to the university routes for students and staff. In 1982, the Wabash Station in downtown Columbia (built in 1910 as a rail depot) became the system's central transfer point. Since then, the station has been expanded and renovated. Beginning in the early 1970s, the system has undergone many changes and serves citizens and students in a variety of ways. Ridership levels have varied throughout the system's history, and have increased during recent years.

Fixed routes

The six fixed routes operate Monday through Saturday: from 6:25 am to 6:25 pm Monday-Wednesday; from 6:25 am to 10:25 pm Thursday and Friday; and from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm Saturday. The routes are numbered 101-106, and are designated with a color. Buses operate on one route throughout the day; at the route end points, they will return inbound and repeat (except for final trips at the end of at-peak periods, and the last runs of the day). Buses operate with either an N/S or E/W after the number to indicate route direction.

The fixed routes are:

• 101 Orange: Oakland Junior High to Bethel and Diego (connects with 105 Purple). North/south route serving Rangeline Street, Brown School Road, Green Meadows, Forum and West Boulevard. 101 South runs clockwise during morning service, and counterclockwise during afternoon service.
• 102 Blue: Smiley and Rangeline to Indian Hills. North/East route serving West Business Loop, Garth Lane, Blueridge, Clark Lane, Indian Hills
• 103 Green: Columbia Mall to Paris and Waco. West/East route serving Worley Street, North Old 63, Paris Road, Brown Station Road, East Business Loop
• 104 Red: Hy-Vee West Plaza to South-East Park and Ride. West/East route serving Broadway, Ash Street, South Old 63, Discovery Ridge, Keene Street, Conley Road
• 105 Purple: CMSE to Bethel and Diego (connects with 101 Orange). Commuter route serving Forum, Nifong Boulevard, Grindstone Parkway, Ponderosa Street
• 106 Brown: Wabash Station to University Hospital. "Downtown Orbiter" serving Boone Hospital, Paquin Tower, MU campus, University Hospital and downtown

Routes 101-104 and 106 have timed transfers at Wabash Station. Routes 101 and 105 have timed transfers at Bethel and Diego streets during at-peak times (between 6:25 am–9:45 am and 2:25 pm–6:25 pm Monday through Friday). Routes 101-104 operate on a 40-minute headway. At peak-service times two buses operate in both directions, allowing a frequency of every 40 minutes. During off-peak times (midday, evenings, Saturday) the frequency is every 80 minutes. Route 105 operates on a 40-minute headway from 6:40 am–9:40 am and from 2:45 pm–6:25 pm Monday through Friday; it does not operate during midday, evenings, or on Saturday. Buses on Route 106 complete the Downtown Orbit every 40 minutes. At-peak service frequency is every 20 minutes.

There is no fixed-route Sunday service.

University of Missouri shuttle

Columbia Transit provides free shuttle service to University of Missouri students and employees. Buses serve off-campus apartment complexes throughout Columbia and a network of commuter parking lots adjacent to the campus. Most routes are free; however, routes serving off-campus housing complexes collect fares and also serve non-student residents living there. Funding for the shuttle system is collected by parking and residential fees charged to students needing the service. Nearly all routes serving students terminate at Brady Commons, the student union at the university. Operation times vary from route to route, and some offer late-night service. Routes for this system operate from the fall semester through the spring semester, and do not operate during the summer months. The University Shuttle System accounts for approximately half of Columbia Transit's annual ridership. The routes serving the University community vary from year to year, in order to meet the changing needs of on- and off-campus student housing.

• 201N: Hearnes Center to Brady Commons
• 202E: Brady Commons to Trowbridge Parking/AV14
• 202W: Trowbridge Parking/AV14 to Brady Commons
• 201S: Brady Commons to Hearnes Center (operates 6am–6pm Monday-Friday)
• 203N: Reactor Park to 6th and Stewart Road via Maryland Avenue
• 203S: 6th and Stewart Road to Reactor Park via Providence Road
• 204: Spirit Special (during home football games)
• 205E: Brady Commons to Bearfield Road via Trowbridge/AV14, via Old Highway 63
• 205W: Bearfield Road to Brady Commons via Old Highway 63
• 206E: Brady Commons to Carter Lane/Campus View
• 206W: Carter Lane/Campus View to Brady Commons (operates 6 pm-1:30 am Monday-Friday, 6 pm-midnight Saturday, noon-1:30 am Sunday)
• 207E: Brady Commons to Bearfield Road via Old Highway 63
• 207W: Bearfield Road to Brady Commons via Old Highway 63
• 208E: Brady Commons to Buttonwood Lane via Carter Lane
• 208W: Buttonwood Lane to Brady Commons via Carter Lane (operates 6:40 am–5:40 pm Monday-Friday and runs every 10 minutes; Buses switch routes at Brady Commons.)
• 209: Cottages of Columbia Shuttle (operates 7 am-6 pm Monday-Friday; runs every 30 minutes)

Routes 205-209 are subsidized by housing complexes. In August 2006, the Reserve and Campus Lodge Apartments agreed to pay Columbia Transit an estimated $30,000 per year for bus service along Old 63 as the 207/208 Gold Route. As part of the agreement Columbia Transit could collect its standard fare along the route, but riders from the Reserve and Campus Lodge would be exempt from payment. The route began with service every hour until 6 pm. In August 2007, with its growing popularity, Columbia Transit began service every half-hour until 6 pm. In 2008, the University of Missouri agreed to help subsidize shuttle service after it added a housing option at Campus Lodge. Service began in August from 6 pm-1:30 am. The University housing option increased ridership along the route, and caused Columbia Transit to increase bus service again along the Gold Route. For the 2009 Fall Semester, both 207 and 208 ran every 10 minutes throughout the day. Route 209 is Columbia Transit's newest route. It began under similar terms as the Campus Lodge/Reserve agreement; however, it uses smaller converted paratransit buses.

Para-transit

In 1990 Columbia Transit began providing curb-to-curb para-transit service to those eligible, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This service utilizes van-based buses, equipped with wheelchair lifts. Passengers can request transportation between any two points within the city limits. The fare is $2.00 per one-way trip. All rides must be booked one business day in advance; this can be done online at the city's website.

Fare structure

Fares for Columbia Transit fixed routes vary from $.50 to $1.00, with several discounted fares available. Transfers are issued (upon request) when fares are paid, and are good for one-way trips only. Passengers may transfer from route to route at several pre-arranged points where two (or more) bus routes intersect. Columbia Transit also offers a variety of FASTPass fare cards and electronic transfers. Introduced in July 2006 to replace laminated passes and paper transfer slips, the electronic fare cards range from 30-day unlimited-ride passes to 25-ride fare cards, with the 25-ride card offering five free rides compared with the regular fare. In October 2008, all basic fares were increased 100% by the City Council to help offset budget shortfalls. Revenues from collected fares in fiscal year 2008 amounted to $214,521.

Fares

• Adult $1.00
• Children (ages 5–11) $.50
• Student with school identification $.50
• Senior citizen (over 65) $.50
• Handicapped/Medicare recipient $.50
• Para-transit $2.00
• Para-transit 10-ride punch pass $20.00

FASTPass electronic fare cards

• 30-day unlimited (full-fare/half-fare) $35.00/$15.00
• 7-day student (unlimited) $5.00
• 25-ride pass (full-fare/half-fare) $20.00/$10.00

Fleet

Columbia Transit operates a diverse fleet of 27 transit buses, nine para-transit vans and several support vehicles. The average bus age is about ten years, while the average age of the para-transit vans is about seven years. Most buses are 35- and 40-foot New Flyer low-floor buses. In addition, the system also uses several 40-foot Gillig Corporation Phantom buses, 30-foot ElDorado National buses, one transit-fitted Blue Bird bus, and two Gilling 40-foot Euro-style buses. Two of the older Gillig Phantoms are leased from the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. Most of the fleet is planned to be replaced by 2015, pending budgetary approval. The city may purchase hybrid and/or methane-powered buses in the future.

The City Council decided (in a unanimous vote on November 16, 2009) to approve a measure for transit advertising. The decision came after a five-year debate on the issue, with the threat of budget decreases pushing through the measure. The city received two bids after requesting them in August of that year, with the larger potential-income proposal coming from Midwest-based Transit Advertising (a firm specializing in transit advertisements). The company's bid guaranteed an income of at least $204,000 per year of which Columbia Transit would keep 60%, or $122,400 (whichever was greater). Advertisements vary from small banners inside buses to full bus wrap ads. The paint scheme for all Columbia Transit buses includes pepper-blue paint encircling the entire bus with a silver line at the bottom and a red line above it. The doors on most buses are painted yellow. "Columbia Transit" in white letters appears on the sides and rear of all buses, with the slanted "CT" logo beside (or atop) the words. This scheme is scheduled to change with the introduction of advertisements on the bus exterior. All Columbia Transit buses are handicapped-accessible (either by ramp or lift) and all fixed-route buses are equipped with bike racks which can carry two standard bicycles. Use of the bike racks is provided at no additional charge.

Recent History and Future Developments

In recent years, the Columbia Transit system has undergone several changes to service and infrastructure. During this time, ridership levels abord the fixed route system have slowly but consistently grown from around 400,000 fixed-route passengers in 2003 to its current level of above 1 million riders per year. The earliest of many recent changes occurred in 2004, when the City Council examined a number of ideas in improving the fixed-route system. These ideas included adding commuter routes, especially to areas such as Hollywood Stadium 14 Theater and Paris Road, where no regular service exists. Other ideas included using trolley-styled buses along a downtown orbit route. Another idea was the extension of evening hours and/or the adoption of 24-hour bus service on core routes. In March of that year, while considering these ideas, the Council approved motions for the renovation and expansion of the historic Wabash Station in downtown Columbia, and federal funding was approved for construction. In June, 2004, many changes were made to the primary routes in an effort to reduce headway times, which had continued to grow because of growing traffic congestion. Changes were made to the 4-Red, 3-Green and 2-Blue routes, and the 5-Yellow route was reduced severely from a peak-service commuter along Forum Blvd. to a one-am/one-pm weekday run with a transfer with the 1-Orange due to poor ridership. While no trolley buses were purchased, due to strong popular support the 6-Brown Downtown Orbiter was introduced along with the 7-Purple Theater Special, a route running from Forum 8 Goodrich Theater to Hollywood Stadium 14 Theater with a transfer to the 6-Brown at University Hospital, roughly halfway between the two theaters. In June, 2006, the FASTPass electronic fare card program was introduced along with electronic transfer slips. Some of the other changes in that month had the 6-Brown have an extended at-peak service removed from Thursday evening service, and the 7-Purple was rerouted to the Wabash Station to encourage more usage. In August of that year, the 8-Gold route was introduced to the University sysytem service. The 8-Gold service area includes Campus View, The Reserve, and several other recent student housing complexes. At the time, the route was funded in part by the owners of those complexes, though the University later contributed to operating funds. This route has since grown into three different routes (now routes 207& 208W/E) and are both key to the University's shuttle system.

In June 2007, a $2.3 million renovation and expansion of the Wabash Bus Station located at 126 N. Tenth Street began after nearly a decade of planning. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, so construction had to retain the historic quality of the building. The project included the renovation of the exterior of the original structure, the remodeling of the interior and the passenger lobby, the construction of an administrative wing, and a large canopy-covered bus port extending into the rear lot. As part of the 'Percent for the Arts' program, one percent of the total construction cost was dedicated to artwork done by mostly local artists. The two artists, painter David Spear and sculptor Don Asbee, both of Boone County, created large oil paintings of the former and current station for the lobby and a metal train sculpture underneath the bus port. The project was completed by the summer of 2008.

In between major projects and modifications, several amenities have been upgraded throughout the system. Many shelters and benches have been added, and the fleet has periodically been updated. In November 2007, LED electronic destination signs were installed to replace the scroll-style signs that were prone to ripping during operation. And in the fall of 2010, advertisements made their way aboard city buses. There are numerous additional projects awaiting funding for further improvement of basic infrastructure, along with larger projects well into the planning stage. Many planned improvements and developments are aimed to expand service area and operation times and improving local transportation coordination, as well as adding new infrastructure and facilities. In 2007, the City of Columbia adopted the Transit Master Plan, outlining several projects for possible funding over the next 15 years, and implemented some immediate changes to improve efficiency.
In August 2010, the fixed-route system was reconfigured, taking existing routes and rerouteing them to extend service areas. The Saturday routes, which were previously different from the weekday routes, were altered to mirror weekday routes. The 105 Yellow Route was brought back to full-commuter route status as the 105 Purple Route, a transfer between 105 and 101 was added, and the 101 Orange Route South was rescheduled to travel against the congestion that had previously caused delays.

Transit Master Plan

Adopted in 2007, some immediate changes brought about by the Master Plan include;

• Discontinuation of the 7-Purple Theater Special route that operated Thursday through Saturday evenings from Forum 8 Theaters to Stadium 14 Theaters via Wabash. The ridership for this route was very poor since its introduction
• Renumbering of all routes, 101+ for fixed routes, 201+ for MU Shuttle routes
• Implementation of new Emergency Weather Schedule and route alignment with Emergency routes numbered 901+
• Creation of a Dial-a-Ride program to operate outside of fixed-route hours of operation, as well as Sunday. This service has not been implemented due to budget constraints brought on by rising fuel costs in 2008 and budget shortfalls in 2009.
• Extension of afternoon peak-service times from 6:25pm to 8:25pm Monday through Friday. This service expansion has not been implemented due to budget shortfalls.

Long term plans include;

• Study and possible construction of a 'Park & Ride' lot in the growing south side of Columbia, possibly the Rock Bridge area.
• Route restructuring and schedule modification.
• Addition of new technology such as reloadable fare cards, which would require new fare boxes, the addition of solar-powered lighting systems for bus shelters, and the installation of a GPS-bus tracking software for real-time travel information.
• Feasibility study for the purchase of the plot at Park and Orr streets for use as a bus maintenance and storage facility. Buses are now stored at a cramped city garage on Lakeview Avenue.

External links

• Columbia Transit & Paratransit