CARBONDALE — The Jackson County Mass Transit District is ringing in a new school year with its biggest project yet, taking the reins on the Saluki Express bus route partnership with Southern Illinois University.
Previously, the Saluki Express was serviced by Rides Mass Transit District, but funding concerns have caused a necessary transition to JCMTD.
Shawn Freeman, chief executive officer with JCMTD, said that although the provider will change, the experience should remain the same for riders.
“The core service is going to be the exact same,” Freeman said. “We didn’t change our fares with it. We didn’t change the bus stops. We didn’t change the times.”
More detailed information on the Saluki Express, including updated route information, can be found on Page A1 of Tuesday’s Southern Illinoisan.
The Saluki Express changing providers stems from an issue with the 2020 census, when the Federal Transit Authority and the U.S. Census Bureau decertified the Carbondale Urbanized Area.
Previously, Carbondale and Carterville were close enough in distance to be considered, along with Marion, an urbanized zone.
“Because of that, we were granted anywhere from $1 million to $2 million in federal funds that were split between Rides Mass Transit and Jackson County Mass Transit,” Freeman said.
However, a rule was changed which shortened the distance between cities eligible to be grouped together, which separated Carbondale from its Williamson County neighbors, and resulted in around $2 million per year of federal funding being lost.
“They broke it down into Carbondale and Marion,” Freeman said. “Marion isn’t large enough by itself, and neither is Carbondale large enough by itself. All of a sudden, we’re no longer eligible for those funds.”
As a result, Rides and Jackson County have both worked to streamline their services, prioritizing efficiency while still providing the same reliable service as they had before.
“The Saluki Express is a service predominantly in Carbondale,” Freeman said. “Those routes start and end in Carbondale. That had to be taken on by a district that is in Jackson County, because we’re the rural designee for Jackson County.”
Some existing routes and services were cut in order to cut down on the overlap of routes, while still maintaining access to key locations in Carbondale for riders.
“We’ve eliminated all the duplication, all the routes that were similar to each other, and we’ve tried to make sure that there’s funding available for those who need it,” Freeman said.
During the transition, Rides Mass Transit District has worked with JCMTD to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Freeman credits the effort from Rides to help them as they take on a new role.
“They came over, they helped us drive the buses, they helped us learn the buses,” Freeman said. “Their head mechanic came over, their trainers came over to teach us and keep that same level that they had. It really isn’t just one agency that did everything.”
Over the next few months, Jackson County Mass Transit District will look to roll out some updates to their services, including a new name and logo as it enters a new era.
“We are essentially a new transit district from where we were six months ago,” Freeman said. “All the routes have evolved. We’re trying to become more invested into our community.”
A revamped website is expected to launch by the end of August, which will feature maps and schedules of each route provided.
Later in the fall, JCMTD will look to launch an app powered by Passio GO! to allow riders to track buses, similarly to the TransLoc app for riders under RMTD.
Currently, SIU students will just need to show their student ID card to access the Saluki Express. In the future, JCMTD will introduce card readers, so riders can swipe and ride.
“We want to make it hassle-free for those students,” Freeman said. “We want to make this transition as smooth as possible.”
Riders are encouraged to reach out to Jackson County Mass Transit District at 618-549-0304 to schedule a ride, file a complaint or provide feedback.
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