INDIANAPOLIS — IndyGo is launching service improvements and route adjustments that officials say will reduce wait times for many riders.
On June, the city’s public transportation system is revamping more than a dozen bus routes in a plan designed to shorten commutes and boost connectivity.
"We are improving service reliability and efficiency by putting more buses on the road, shortening the waiting times, increasing the frequency that a bus comes on some routes," IndyGo spokesperson Carrie Black said.
Black said these bus line improvements have been in the works since before the pandemic.
"We had to put a halt on things for a little bit, but we've had a major hiring push," Black said. "Our driver numbers are coming back up and now we're in a really wonderful position where we can press play again and move full speed ahead towards implementing these changes."
Black said recruiting efforts paid off after IndyGo started offering a $3,000 signing bonus to new drivers.
The Route 10 bus, one of the busiest in the city that runs along 10th Street, will see wait times between buses improve from 20 minutes to 15 minutes.
“It's just a five minute change, but five minutes is five minutes," IndyGo rider William Rates said. "Anything that speeds me up, I'm happy with."
"Anything that speeds me up, I'm happy with," Rates said.
Riders of the Route 11 bus on East 16th Street will see the biggest improvements as the wait between buses shrinks from 90 minutes to 30 minutes.
In all, more than a dozen bus routes will see some kind of change.
Air Force veteran Robert Stewart relies on the buses to get to work and doctor's appointments. He's thrilled with the changes.
"I think that'd be good. We don't have to wait as long," Stewart said. "IndyGo is doing pretty good these days. Things are getting better."
Under the new plan, riders will see more buses and shorter wait times on the following routes:
- Route 2, on East 34th Street, waits reduced from 60 minutes to 30 minutes;
- Route 10, on 10th Street, from 20 minutes to 15 minutes Downtown and from 40 minutes to 30 minutes near the branch-off at Lynhurst Drive on the west side;
- Route 11, on East 16th Street, from 90 minutes to 30 minutes; and
- Route 25, on West 15th Street, from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.
IndyGo's updated bus schedule is available on their website.
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on X/Twitter: @vicryc.
