Ridership of the Starkville-Mississippi State University Area Rapid Transit program is increasing as more residents become aware of the bus transit system, the university reported Friday.
The university reported Friday that the route, which links Starkville and campus, transported 15,250 riders during the first three days of the 2014 spring semester.
Since its unveiling in 2012, leaders have heralded the public transportation link between the city and its primary economic engine as a significant and progressive tool. The receipt of an almost-$2.4 million rural public transportation grant through the Mississippi Department of Transportation positioned the university to expand its current shuttle system to a no-charge system with numerous stops in the community.
The entire system went live on Jan. 6, MSU parking and transit director Mike Harris said in a release. The university subsequently added more buses to the system a week later. Out of 32 buses in the MSU fleet, the SMART route utilizes 21.
Harris is leaving his job soon, and former Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas will assume his job on an interim basis Monday.
SMART routes operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, with fewer operations on Saturdays. Drop-off locations give passengers access to shopping, banking, city services, health care facilities, recreation and high-density residential areas including: Vowell’s Marketplace, OCH Regional Medical Center, Wal-Mart and the Starkville Sportsplex.
“Everyone who rides will benefit from a savings on fuel and vehicle costs,” Harris said in a release Friday. “The possibility of reducing single-occupancy vehicles would help in many ways, such as by reducing traffic congestion, emissions and the amount of taxpayer dollars needed for street repairs.”
“This is a game changer for Starkville. This service will enable our citizens who may not have reliable transportation to be able to access all parts of the city and university with ease,” Mayor Parker Wiseman previously told The Dispatch. “That’s where the real economic development opportunities are. If you’re in a community that has no mass transit, then not having a viable personal vehicle can mean the difference between getting to work and not getting to work.”
Information on the SMART system, including live bus maps and arrival time estimates, can be found at smart.msstate.edu.
The route features some Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant buses and is free to all passengers. Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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