Huntsville Shuttle Bus

Infobox Bus transit
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founded = 1990
headquarters = 500B Church Street
locale = Huntsville, AL
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service_type = bus service
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routes = 11 weekday
2 weekend
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ridership = 1,500
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operator = City of Huntsville, Public Transportation Division
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website = [http://www.hsvcity.com/PublicTran/public_trans.php Public Transportation] The Huntsville Shuttle fixed-route bus system began in 1990 in response to the growing population and congestion of the city of Huntsville, Alabama. The system is run by the city of Huntsville, and is funded by city and federal funds. (Alabama law prohibits state funding of public transit.)

History

Huntsville had a streetcar system in the early 1900s linking downtown to outlying mill villages like
Five Points and Lowe Mill. The system was dismantled in the late 1940s. In 1990, the city of Huntsville decided to form the Department of Parking and Public Transit, which includedthe Shuttle. It began with two routes, the Red and Blue Core Loops which served downtown, the Medical Districtand surrounding areas. By 2004, the system had expanded to ten routes and a Tourist Trolley. That year, a new bus terminal was built on Church Street near the Huntsville Depot. In 2005, the city began weekend evening service to the downtown and Five Points areas. In 2006, bike racks were installed on all fifteen buses as part of the city's Greenway Master Plan.

The system today

The Shuttle has a total of 14 routes, including 11 regular weekday routes, the Tourist Trolley Loop, which seasonally runs six days a week, and two weekend evening routes. The system keeps a fleet of 15 buses. The regular weekday routes run from 6 AM to 6 PM. The Tourist Loop runs from 7 AM to 7 PM. The weekend evening routes run from 7 PM to 2 AM on Friday and Saturday. Bus turnarounds range from 15 minutes downtown to one hour in outlying areas. Between 1,500 and 1,800 riders use the system daily. The number has steadily risen in recent years due to rising gas prices; however, while other transit systems have seen double-digit gains in ridership over the past year, the Shuttle's ridership has only grown by 5%. This prompted the city council to hire a consulting firm in August 2008 to see how the city can make the system more attractive to residents. [" [http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1220001382310650.xml&coll=1 City looks to improve public transit system] " "The Huntsville Times" August 29, 2008]

Fares

One-way:
*Regular: $1
*Seniors, students with valid ID, and children: $.50
*Tourist Trolley: $2
*Downtown weekend evening service: Free
*Transfers: Free

Other Services

The [http://www.hsvcity.com/PublicTran City of Huntsville Department of Parking and Public Transit] also maintains the 13 public parking garages and lots in downtown Huntsville, the Handi-Ride paratransit fleet, and RIDE-SHARE, the Huntsville-area carpool program. In June 2008, the department also began managing the neighboring city of Madison's paratransit system, [http://www.madisonal.gov/docs/MARS_pressrelease1.pdf MARS] .

Future Plans

Construction began in October 2007 on a new parking garage/bus terminal on the campus of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. It will serve both the Shuttle and a proposed campus bus system when completed in Fall 2008. Another "park and ride" is planned at Bridge Street Town Centre, a mixed-use development in Cummings Research Park West. Construction on this project should begin in 2008, with completion sometime in 2009. Other park-and-rides have been discussed, but no specific locations have been selected.

Routes to the following places have been planned/discussed for when funding becomes available:
* Huntsville International Airport
* Redstone Arsenal/Marshall Space Flight Center

Other long-range transit projects being discussed for the Huntsville area:
* A commuter rail line between Huntsville and Decatur, with stops in Madison and Research Park.
* A light rail line linking downtown Huntsville to Ditto Landing on the Tennessee River.

Routes

*1. Red Core LoopMadison County Courthouse, Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville Hospital, Parkway Place Mall, Huntsville Senior Center/Brahan Spring Park
*2. Blue Core LoopSame as #1
*3. Madison Square/Holmes Avenue
University of Alabama in Huntsville, Research Park East, Madison Square Mall
*4. Madison Square/University DriveUniversity Drive commercial area, Madison Square Mall, Perimeter Office Park
*5. Airport Road
Von Braun Center, Parkway Place Mall, Crestwood Medical Center, Huntsville Hospital Medical Mall
*6. Southwest Huntsville
Von Braun Center, Westlawn, Brahan Springs Park/Senior Center, Milton Frank Stadium
*7. Alabama A&M University
JF Drake State Technical College, Alabama A&M University, Five Points
*8. Medaris Road/A&MAlabama Career Center, JF Drake State Technical College, Alabama A&M University, Five Points
*9. Northwest Huntsville/ Oakwood CollegeThe Fountain Shopping Center, Oakwood College, Alabama Career Center
*10. Weatherly RoadParkway Place, Airport Road, Jones Valley, Southeast Huntsville, Joe Davis Stadium
*T. Tourist Loop TrolleyUniversity Drive, Madison Square Mall, Research Park East, US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville Botanical Garden,
Huntsville Museum of Art, EarlyWorks, Alabama Constitution Village, Courthouse Square
*Research Park LoopUAH, Calhoun Community College, Sherwood Park, Bridge Street Town Centre, Research Park West, Westside Pavilion (Target), University Drive
*Weekend Evening ServiceDS1 and DS2 both serve Five Points, the Medical District, the Von Braun Center, Big Spring Park (Huntsville, Alabama), and the various restaurants and clubs downtown.

References

External links

* [http://www.hsvcity.com/PublicTran City of Huntsville Department of Parking and Public Transit]
* [http://blog.al.com/breaking/2008/08/ShuttleSystemMap080108.pdf Shuttle System Map]