Redwood Falls got a new option for public transit this week, and no one could’ve predicted its success. Because the Green Route has been so well received in its first several days of operation, there is already enough information to see ways it can be improved. People will see minor changes to the Green Route beginning Monday, January 15.
“We are absolutely thrilled by the public’s excitement about the Green Route,” said Cathleen Amick, the program director for Community Transit of United Community Action Partnership (UCAP).
She said the Green Route started stronger than any other fixed route Community Transit has created. It had four riders by its second hour in existence. In such a rural city, that is an amazing beginning.
“When we started the Red and Blue routes in Marshall, we had entire days of service with single-digit numbers for the first several months,” she said. “It’s proof that people have wanted more transit options in Redwood Falls for a long time.”
Community Transit Operations Administrator Nick Leske said the changes to the route aim at making it more useable.
“We’ll actually be adding a stop,” he said.
Originally, there was one stop for the library and Homestead Estates. Beginning January 15, the route will stop at the front door of the library at 18 minutes past the hour before going to Homestead Estates 2 minutes later.
“We realized that the location of the current stop isn’t convenient for people at the library, and that we could easily stay within our time schedule even if we make an extra stop,” Leske said.
The other change that people will notice is that the hour-long lunch break will be at noon.
“This way we have four hours on either side of the break, and we always have at least two buses on the road,” he said.
Green Route maps and schedules are available at here or the Redwood Falls UCAP office.