GRANITE CITY – As part of its regular service change on January 7, 2018, Madison County Transit (MCT) will adjust the frequency and span of several Madison County bus routes.
A recent system-wide ridership analysis revealed lower demand on certain early morning (before 7 am) and late night (after 10 pm) fringe trips.
Additionally, a trip level review found that ridership on both the #2 Granite City Shuttle and the #9 Washington Shuttle is higher mid-day than in the early morning and afternoon “drive times.” As a result, staff recommended that low performing trips be eliminated and that the frequency on the #2 and the #9 be reduced to 60 minutes in the mornings and evenings, but maintain 30-minute service from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm when ridership is higher.
Public meetings were held and the MCT Board of Trustees approved the recommendation to eliminate several trips at their September 2017 meeting. Changes include both weekday and Saturday trips and service in the northbound (NB), southbound (SB) and westbound (WB) directions:
- #7 Alton – Edwardsville: Eliminate three trips: (Weekday: 10:18 p.m.); (Saturday: 6:48 a.m. SB; 6:48 a.m. NB)
- #11 Brown Shuttle: Eliminate three trips: (Weekday: 7:16 p.m. WB); (Saturday: 6:16 p.m. WB; and 6:48 p.m. EB)
- #12 Bethalto Shuttle: Eliminate five trips: (Weekday: 5:49 p.m. NB; 6:18 p.m. SB); (Saturday: 4:48 p.m.; 5:18 p.m.; 5:48 p.m.)
- 15 East Collinsville Shuttle: Eliminate two trips: (Weekday: 5:58 a.m.); (Saturday: 6:58 a.m.)
- #16 Edwardsville – Glen Carbon Shuttle: Eliminate ten trips: (Weekday: 7:14 p.m. NB; 7:45 p.m. SB; 8:11 p.m. NB; 8:45 p.m. SB; 9:11 p.m. NB; 9:45 p.m. SB); (Saturday: 6:45 a.m. SB; 7:12 a.m. NB; 7:45 a.m. SB; 6:12 p.m. NB)
- #17 Cougar Shuttle: Eliminate one trip: (Saturday: 11:20 p.m.)
- #18 Collinsville Regional: Eliminate two trips: (Saturday: 11:52 p.m. SB; 12:19 a.m. NB)
- #19 Edwardsville – Collinsville: Eliminate three trips: (Saturday: 10:42 p.m. NB; 11:15 p.m. SB; 11:42 p.m. NB)
- #21 West Collinsville Shuttle: Eliminate one trip: (Weekday: 9:28 p.m.)
Also, effective at the January 7, 2018 service change, the #1X Riverbend Express arrival times at the Eastgate Park & Ride lot and the River’s Edge Park & Ride lot will be adjusted by three minutes to eliminate buses dwelling at River’s Edge in the afternoon.
“It’s our responsibility to provide service that is commensurate with the needs of our passengers,” said MCT Managing Director Jerry Kane. “Where demand has increased in recent years, MCT has made every effort to improve service, and when demand decreases on specific trips it’s important that we respond accordingly.”
For more information or specific schedule details on these and other MCT routes, new timetables are posted online at www.mct.org and will be available at MCT Stations, on MCT buses and at locations throughout Madison County. For details about MCT services, call (618) 797-INFO (4636), visit www.mct.org, or e-mail info@mct.org.
