IndyGo’s Red Line opens for service
IndyGo’s first bus rapid transit line, the Red Line, opened for service on September 1 after multiple years of planning and public engagement and several months of construction.
On Sunday, Sept 1. and Monday, Sept. 2, IndyGo’s Red Line will be in service from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a goal of 15-minute frequency. Moving forward, weekday service will run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. with a goal of 10-minute frequency.
The full IndyGo team has been working diligently the past week preparing for passengers by running dress rehearsals of the service. Drivers, supervisors, dispatchers and mechanics were given the opportunity to hone in on details and procedures for this new service.
“This is one of the most exciting periods in Indianapolis history,” said IndyGo Board Chair Juan Gonzalez. “Expanded public transit in Indianapolis will impact every aspect of our city. We’re attracting young professionals, providing greater independence for seniors and people with disabilities, making it easier for college students to get to class, helping the environment and creating greater opportunity for low-income residents and neighborhoods.”
With the Red Line being a new addition to the city, IndyGo will make it a top priority to monitor service and make adjustments for a reliable, comfortable experience.
“IndyGo is embarking on a dynamic endeavor, essentially doubling the size of its bus system while introducing cutting-edge technology and a 100 percent electric-powered fleet,” said IndyGo President and CEO Inez Evans. “Indianapolis is receiving national recognition for its industry-leading innovations. I can’t imagine an opportunity with greater potential, and we intend to maximize every ounce of it.”
Trips north of 66th and College and south of the University of Indianapolis along the 13-mile Red Line corridor will be served by a temporary connection via a local service shuttle, Route 90. The Route 90 shuttle will connect at terminal Red Line stations every 20 minutes. Within the coming months, IndyGo anticipates providing riders with a no-transfer, seamless trip north and south of Red Line stations along Route 90.
The Red Line and its local extensions will be free to ride for the full month of September and the entire system will be free the first two weeks. Riders looking to travel north of the 66th Street station or south of the University station will make a transfer to a local bus but will not need to pay.
IndyGo anticipates having unofficial ridership numbers after the first few weeks of service. Over the next few months, the organization will be working to verify the data from the new technology for official counts.
To get acquainted with the overall transit system, IndyGo encourages the community to ride the Red Line during the free period. Red Line service operates along the 13-mile, 28-station route for seven days a week, 20 hours each day.
Plan a trip using Google Maps or the IndyGo website, or visit the Julia M. Carson Transit Center downtown. During the opening week of the Red Line, volunteers will also be at stations helping riders get to their destinations.
