Bloomington Transit (BT) now operates 16 bus routes covering nearly every corner of the city, from campus and residential neighborhoods to community hubs and shopping districts. But for riders looking for the most reliable and convenient ways to travel, a handful of routes stand out as the go-to options.
BT roll out changes
Before the start of Indiana University’s fall semester on Aug. 24, BT announced a series of updates to routes 6, 9 and 13. According to BT Planning and Special Projects Manager Shelly Strimaitis, the changes to Routes 6 and 9 were driven by the introduction of electric buses, which cannot fit under the 10th Street overpass. As a result, BT will no longer service Tulip Tree Apartments but will serve Campus View. In addition, the 6 Limited route has been eliminated and folded into an expanded Route 6.
Route 13, which debuted in January, has also been adjusted. Bryan Fyalkowski, manager of marketing and development at BT, explained that the original 60-minute schedule left buses running ahead of time and idling at stops.
“With the changes to the 13, we now service the Northwest YMCA, as well as Ivy Tech outbound and inbound,” Fyalkowski said. “This way, the folks who live in the Highland Village area can take advantage of it going to Ivy Tech, Park 48, and the YMCA. Previously, the 13 went to Highland Village area and then downtown, without passing back through Ivy Tech and Park 48 again.”
BT routes to know
The following adjustments were made to Route 9 on Aug. 24, the latest updates for BT buses and schedules:
If you’re new to Bloomington or just trying to get around faster, these BT routes are among the most useful:
Passengers can track buses in real time through the IU Mobile app or the ETA Spot app. IU students should also note that physical bus passes are being phased out and replaced with Umo, a new digital fare system.
For details on specific routes and schedules, riders can visit Bloomington Transit’s website or Facebook page.
Contact Ayzah Khan at AKhan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington Transit changes Route 9, updates routes 6 and 13 as IU semester begins
Reporting by Ayzah Khan, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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