IndyGo

History

IndyGo's history begins in 1953 when the city's streetcar system was converted to bus routes, most of which followed the same routes as used by the streetcars. The city of Indianapolis took over public transportation in 1975 and established the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation to administer bus services. The corporation originally operated buses under the name Metro Bus; the IndyGo name was adopted in 1996. Portions of the system were briefly privatized in the 1990s, but the move proved unpopular, and all operations were ultimately taken over by the city.

IndyGo has seen a near-constant trend of decreasing ridership since the 1970s and continues to explore options for revitalization. "Express" bus routes were used in the 1980s as an attempt to gain more middle-class riders from outlying areas, but the routes were largely discontinued by the early 2000s (decade). In the fall of 2007, IndyGo resumed express routes including one to Indianapolis International Airport.

In early 2006, the city approved preparations for a new transit center, similar to ones in Columbus and Charlotte. Construction of the new Transit Center began in 2015 and is opened in June 2016.

The Julia M. Carson Transit Center (DTC) is the hub for public transit in Indianapolis, where riders can transfer from bus to bus.

Indy Connect

Indy Connect is a $1.2 billion plan to create a network of bus rapid transit lines, bikeways, and walkways. The first segment to be constructed will be phase one of the Red Line, traveling 14 miles (23 km) from Broad Ripple Avenue to the University of Indianapolis.

Julia M. Carson Transit Center

The Julia M. Carson Center officially opened on June 21, 2016, with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony. The Customer Service Retail Center moved from their location at 34 N. Delaware St. to the Transit Center the day after. Bus service officially began running from the Transit Center on June 26. IndyGo offered free rides to all passengers from June 26 – July 4, 2016, and additional service on the 4th of July to help customers get home from the Donatos Downtown Freedom Blast.

Routes

IndyGo operates 31 fixed routes with some 7,000 stops; bus frequency varies on the population density along the route. The system carries approximately 10.2 million passengers annually, traveling a total distance of about 9 million miles. While IndyGo provides bus service primarily in Indianapolis, certain IndyGo fixed routes extend south of the city into Johnson County.

The Blue Line downtown circulator route was added in 2005 to attract passengers and saw considerable ridership. In late 2006, IndyGo complemented the Blue Line with the introduction of the Red Line, which runs between Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis and downtown, with 15-minute frequency. The Blue Line’s ridership declined as federal funding allotted for the route ran out, and the route was discontinued after December 31, 2007; the Red Line remained a free route until January 2009 when it became a regularly priced route. The Red Line retired when then Downtown Transit Center opened which means that IUPUI service will be covered by Routes 3, 10, and 37, along with 15-minute frequency on Michigan St. and New York St.;

In the fall of 2007, IndyGo introduced an express route operated by a contractor, using ADA-accessible MCI J4500 motor coaches, the route running from downtown to the northern suburb of Fishers in Hamilton County, the most populous suburban county of Indianapolis. In March 2008, an additional express route to Carmel (also in Hamilton County) was launched, followed in March 2009 by express service to Greenwood, a southern suburb in Johnson County. The ICE Express Routes to Greenwood, Fishers, and Carmel were discontinued in 2010 after their federal grants expired.

Final Destinations by Route

Fleet

In the years when it was known as the Indianapolis Transit System, its standard fleet consisted mostly of dark orange/silverside GM Old Looks and GM New Looks, the latter 40 foot coaches and air-conditioned. When it became the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (adopting the Metro name) in 1975, the New Looks would become the workhorse of the fleet, with the agency adding AM General, GM's RTS-II series, GMDD Canada New Looks, and Orion I to the lineup as the New Looks were starting to show its age by the mid-1990s. These buses were painted white with brown-gold-brown stripes and the "Metro" name next to the exit door (save for the Canadian New Looks, which sported a bold black top around its windows) up until the change to the IndyGo branding in 1996.

By 1997, the buses that were in service at the time they had three greenish-blue stripes immediately below the windows and the word "Metro" near the front door. From 1997–2010 on the Phantoms and Low-Floor Coaches, they were painted white with one large dark green stripe on the right front window and one light green stripe over the first Window on the left side, dome of the newer ones from 2005 and 2007 had it painted in the back. Since 2010, all buses have been painted white and have a sleek blue cap at the top of them, along with green which is only on the hybrids, some of the ones from 2003 and 2007 have banner advertisements thrown over them, some currently on them is the Technology Green Recycling, Ken Nunn, Talk to Tucker Housing, and Chamerlain University

Indianapolis Transit System (1953–1975)

Indianapolis Transit Company

Suburban Lines

City of Indianapolis

Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation/IndyGo (After 1975)

Purchased New

IndyGo also operates 40 Flexible Service vans and employs a contractor to operate an additional 40.

Purchased Secondhand