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CyRide

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Pictured is bus #975 (left) and #980 (right)
#975 is a 2002 Orion Bus Industries V bus
#980 is a 1988 Orion Bus Industries I bus
Founded1976
Headquarters1700 6th Street
Ames, IA 50014
LocaleAmes, Iowa
Service areaAmes, Iowa,
Iowa State University
Service typeIntracity bus service
Routes12
Fleet66
OperatorCity of Ames
Iowa State University
WebsiteOfficial Website

CyRide is a partnership between Iowa State University and Ames, Iowa. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames. The word CyRide is a portmanteau of two words: Cyclone (which is the mascot of the Iowa State Cyclones) and the word ride. In January 2012, CyRide was recognized "as the nation’s small urban transit system with the highest number of rides per capita" at 106 rides per capita. [1]

History

From the 1860s until the early 1890 college students were taxied to and from campus by a horse drawn carriage that was operated by brothers, Nichols and Maxwell Livery. The town committee published a report on November 1, 1890 stating that there would be a benefit to create a railroad to replace the current system.[2]

On July 4, 1892, the rail line, named the dinkey (given by the size of the engine) departed from its barn on the east end of 5th street, for its first 2-mile (3.2 km) trip to the Iowa State University campus.[2] The dinkey ran on 30 lb/yd (15 kg/m) rail; that is small compared to the 136 lb/yd (67 kg/m) rail that is used today. The dinkey had three passenger cars that were often at maximum capacity because of the growing population of the city.

In 1929, the dinkey was replaced by a bus system that transported passengers to and from the Iowa State University.[3] In 1976 all operating buses were combined and CyRide was started as a city department. In 1981 Bob Bourne was the director of CyRide. He brought CyRide from a 12 bus, 3 route system to a 65 bus, 11 route system in his 25 years of employment at CyRide.[4]

Routes

Route Number Route Starting Terminal Ending Terminal Major Streets traveled
1
Red West
[5] 		North Grand Mall Ames Middle School Mortensen Road, Lincoln Way, Duff Avenue
1
Red East
[6] 		Ames Middle School North Grand Mall Mortensen Road, Lincoln Way, Duff Avenue
2
Green West
[7] 		North Grand Mall Ontario St. & California Ave. Ontario St., Hyland Ave, 6th Street, Grand Avenue
2
Green East
[8] 		Ontario St. & California Ave. North Grand Mall Ontario St., Hyland Ave, 6th Street, Grand Avenue
3
Blue South
[9] 		North Grand Mall South Duff & 5th Street South 4th Steet, Beach Aveanue, Stange Road, 24th Street
3
Blue North
[10] 		Birch River Apartments North Grand Mall South 4th Steet, Beach Aveanue, Stange Road, 24th Street
4
Gray
[11] 		South East 16th St. & South Dayton Kildee Hall Highway 30, South East 16th, Wallace Road
5
Yellow
[12] 		City Hall Viola Mea & Ken Maril Rd. South Duff, Lincoln Way
6
Brown South
[13] 		North Grand Mall ISU Research Park University Blvd, Mortensen Parkway, Welch Aveanue
Stange Road, Bloomington Road
6
Brown North
[14] 		ISU Research Park North Grand Mall University Blvd, Mortensen Parkway, Welch Aveanue
Stange Road, Bloomington Road
6A
Towers Shuttle
[15] 		Storm St. Osborn Dr. Welch Ave.
7
Purple
[16] 		Mortensen Rd. Osborn Dr. South Dakota, Lincoln Way, Union Dr.
21
Cardinal
[17] 		Frederiksen Court Union Drive Stange Road, Osborn Drive, Union Drive
22
Gold
[18] 		Ash Ave. & Sunset Dr. Spedding Hall Pammel Drive, Lynn Avenue, Wallace Road
23
Orange
[19] 		Veterinary Medicine Building Osborn Dr. Wallace Road, Osborn Dr. South East 16th St.
Billy Sunday
[20] 		Billy Sunday Road Osborn Dr. South Duff, Lincoln Way, Osborne Drive.

Fares

Iowa State Students

Students of Iowa State University are able to ride Cyride without paying the normal fare by presenting the bus driver with their Iowa State identification card. This is necessary on all bus routes except the Gold, Cardinal, and Orange Routes which always allow passengers to travel without charge. Iowa State University charges a fee each semester to all students for CyRide service. This student fee is paid to CyRide to subsidize the cost of operations.

A ISU Card allows students to board any bus for free
Reduced Fare Riders

To qualify for reduced fare, you must be a student in grades K-12, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. The reduced Fare is .50 US Dollar for a one way trip. Multiple tickets can be purchased at a time if a ticket book is purchased in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 5 US Dollars. Ticket books can be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.

Full Fare Riders

Full Fare Riders covers everyone else who is riding. The regular fare is 1.00 US Dollar. Full fare riders can also purchase multiple tickets in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 10 dollars. Ticket books can also be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.

Children Under Five

Children under the age of five are free with an accompanying adult. There may be no more than three children per adult.

Active Bus Fleet

Number Year Model Length Quantity Engine type Headsign A/C Disabled access Comments
869 1968 GMC New Look 35' 1 Diesel Roll Sign
941-943, 952 1973–1974 GMC New Look 40' 4 Diesel Roll Sign
890-891, 898, 900, 908-910, 912 1983–1988 Orion I 35' 10 Diesel Roll Sign
983-984 1988 Orion I 35' 2 Diesel Flip Dot
980-982 1988 Orion I 40' 3 Diesel Flip Dot
17-18, 962-967, 985-993, 953-958, 970-977, 994-997 1989–2005 Orion V 40' 22 Diesel Roll Sign / Flip Dot / LED
926-927, 933-934 1993–1996 Gillig Phantom 35' 4 Diesel LED
944-947, 0819-0822 1999–2008 Gillig Low Floor 40' 8 Diesel LED
1-4 2006 Orion VII 40' 4 Diesel LED

Additional Services

Moonlight Express

In 1984 Cyride started to operate a on Friday and Saturday nights service called Moonlight Express which has been dubbed “the drunk bus” by students.[21] This system was put into service to allow students to socialize with their friends while offering a safe alternative to driving while impaired. Between the hours of 10:00 pm to 3:30am the moonlight express will stop at any stop along the normal fixed route.

In the time Moonlight Express has been running, there have been no drunk-driving fatalities in Ames during its hours of operation.

Dial-A-Ride

Dial-A-Ride is a door to door service that caters mostly to elderly and disabled persons. This service take people within ¾ mile from any fixed Cyride route. A Dial-A-Ride rides need to be scheduled the day before to ensure a spot. In 2005 Dial-A-Ride was turned over to the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Authority (HIRTA) which is operated out of the Heartland Senior Services site in the Ames area.

Future

CyRide is considering bringing a "fare-free" system to all Ames residents. CyRide currently receives 270,000 dollars from paid fares that will have to be compenstated for some other way[22]

In 2009 CyRide was one of 42 applicants to receive a Tigger grant through the Federal Transit Administration. This allowed them to purchase 12 new Hybrid buses at a cost of $6 million. The new buses - dubbed 'Cybrids' - will get an estimated 6 mpg. The current fleet averages about 4.5 mpg fuel efficiency.[23]

Awards

  • 2002 APTA Gold Safety Award Finalist
  • 1999 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
  • 1997 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
  • 1996 APTA AdWheels Award Winner
  • 1995 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
  • 1993 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
  • 1992 Public Risk Management Administration Achievement Award
  • 1991 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
  • 1989 UMTA Outstanding Public Service Award
  • 1989 UMTA Administrator's Award[24]
  • 1983 All America City Award
  • 15 State Bus Roadeo Winners (as of June 2006)
  • 2nd place in the 35' bus division at the 2004 APTA International Bus Roadeo
  • 5th place in the 35' bus division at the 2007 APTA International Bus Roadeo

References

  1. ^ CyRide Tops Small Urban Transit Systems in Rides Per Capita
  2. ^ a b Ames & College Railway Dinkey
  3. ^ Dinkey Timeline
  4. ^ Borne Transit
  5. ^ CyRide
  6. ^ CyRide
  7. ^ CyRide
  8. ^ CyRide
  9. ^ CyRide
  10. ^ CyRide
  11. ^ CyRide
  12. ^ CyRide
  13. ^ CyRide
  14. ^ CyRide
  15. ^ CyRide
  16. ^ CyRide
  17. ^ CyRide
  18. ^ CyRide
  19. ^ CyRide
  20. ^ CyRide
  21. ^ Culberson, Becky (2005), Iowa State University : Off the Record (College Prowler), retrieved 2008-02-23
  22. ^ Fergusen, Kyle (2008-02-18), "CyRide considers opening doors to all", Iowa State Daily, retrieved 2010-03-08
  23. ^ Schleuter, Sara (2010-01-10), "CyRide goes green with hybrid buses", Iowa State Daily, retrieved 2010-03-08
  24. ^ Borne Transit
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