Connect Transit

Members of the Connect Transit Board of Trustees got another earful from the public Tuesday over their recent fare increases and route cut, as the panel named a new group that will seeks ways to better serve its ridership.

After opponents of recent changes at Connect Transit rallied below Uptown Station Monday night, Township Supervisor Sarah Grammer and Normal Mayor Chris Koos said their call and response has fallen silent.

Normal mayor Chris Koos has written a letter to Normal Township Supervisor Sarah Grammer accusing her of using "biased misleading rhetoric,"  and tearing down community partners as the latest step in an ongoing dispute over public transportation funding.

A critic of Connect Transit's recently approved fare hikes and route changes claims the transportation agency deliberately ignored public feedback by not sharing it with the agency’s voting board.

The mayors of Bloomington and Normal said Friday they have no plans to recall Connect Transit board members after Normal Township's supervisor accused the agency of withholding public comments which were critical of fare hikes and route changes before the board’s vote on Tuesday.

Connect Transit has approved higher fares to help pay for the transportation service, but will delay implementing them for three months to seek additional funding.

Economic developers in McLean County have created a wish list of four projects to seek federal funding.

As the federal government shutdown continues, Connect Transit is dipping into its reserves to continue operations.

UPDATED 3 p.m. | Central Illinois transit and social service agencies say they hope the state will pull back from burdensome new requirements that some fear will prevent low-income and disabled patients from reaching their medical appointments.

Children’s Home and Aid along with Connect Transit and various community organizations kick off the 16th annual Stuff The Bus event next week.

The federal government’s top mass transit official stopped in Bloomington on Friday to tout $12 million in grants won by Connect Transit and other Illinois agencies which she says will help chip away at the country’s aging fleet of buses.

Bloomington Normal's bus system could have a downtown Bloomington transfer center in about five years.

Normal residents and Illinois State University students are putting their lives at risk to get around stopped freight trains in Uptown. Despite concerns reported to the freight operator, it could take a while to see a change in train traffic.

Bloomington-Normal’s transit system will receive a $6 million federal grant to buy electric buses and support construction of a new downtown transfer center, officials announced Thursday.

Bloomington-Normal’s public transportation service plans to extend its more popular bus routes later at night to improve access in a move that officials say won’t cost the service any additional money.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is giving Bloomington-Normal's bus system $250,000.

Some members of the Connect Transit board are taking their chair to task for pushing a meeting with the Bloomington City Council that backfired and potentially damaged the case for a bus transfer station in downtown Bloomington.

The Bloomington City Council will talk about the controversial downtown catalyst project with the Bloomington Public Library and Connect Transit boards next month.

Local transit officials say route changes, new shelters, and even an app are all helping drive a significant increase in ridership this year on Bloomington-Normal’s bus system.

It's official: Bloomington-Normal's Connect Transit has hired a general manager.

Connect Transit plans to hire its interim general manager as its next general manager.

Connect Transit will receive a $1.5 million federal grant to buy zero-emission battery electric buses and install solar panels at its maintenance facility.

Waiting at a bus stop in the near future could be easier with the addition of new bus shelters in Bloomington-Normal.

Connect Transit made progress at Tuesday’s meeting with the plan to build 10 new shelters this fall. Community engagement sessions highlighted the public desire for shelters, benches, and additional sidewalk at bus stops in the area.

Connect Transit chose locations based on the number of riders at each bus stop location.