IUSA advocates for Bloomington, IU bus merger

The IU Student Association included a unification of Bloomington Transit and IU Campus Bus services as a part of its party platform, but the plan is dependent on funding approval from the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Bloomington Transit General Manager Lew May said Bloomington Transit officials have met with university administrators to discuss combining the two systems.

The next step will be determining whether INDOT will provide additional funding to a unified system, May said.

“It’s not a sure thing that a proposed unification will result in any additional funding,” May said. “There is the possibility there, and the potential benefits are too great to overlook.”

May said both bus services will meet with the new INDOT commissioner after he or she is appointed by Gov.-elect Mike Pence.

Campus Bus and Bloomington Transit carry 3.5 million riders per year respectively, May said.

He added that Bloomington’s combined total ridership is the second highest in the state behind Indianapolis. Unifying the services, which already share facilities and travel similar areas, could increase state funding through a formula based partially on ridership.

Campus Bus services do not currently receive state funding. Operations Manager Perry Maull, who was not involved in unification talks,  said 98 percent of Campus Bus funding comes from student fees.

IUSA Vice President Pat Courtney said student experience with the bus system would not change due to the unification.

The bus systems would remain largely independent of one another, retaining their signature colors and defining their own bus routes according to need.

May confirmed the current plan would allow the two services to define their routes.

Courtney said cuts in state transportation have put some public transit systems in a tough spot. The campus bus systems recently applied for a federal grant to have more money for new buses. The request was rejected, Courtney said.

“The bus systems are working hard to ensure student cost is not increased,” he said.
Potential funding from the merger is estimated at $2 million.

“It’s a number that’s been circulated throughout the University,” Courtney said. “We didn’t come up with that. It’s something the bus transportation world knows about.”

The Monroe County Planning Organization’s 2030 long-range plan, published in 2005 and re-adopted in 2010, does not include bus unification as a stated policy goal.

Bloomington Transit buses run routes through campus, though, and student travel patterns are included in the 201-page report.

Part of student fees goes toward the universal ridership program for Bloomington Transit, which allows students to ride for free.

Courtney maintains that now is the time to keep pushing for unification. IUSA particularly wants to increase student input concerning Bloomington Transit’s
decision-making process.

The campus bus system has the Student Transportation Board, which talks with campus bus leaders and represents student opinion concerning transportation issues.

“This is very important because the campus buses use student fees,” Courtney said. “We’re trying to get the same with Bloomington Transit, because student money indirectly funds it.”

IUSA has participated in multiple meetings with university administration and Campus Bus in the last month, Courtney said, and will meet with administrators next week to gather momentum before winter break.

He said he is optimistic that the agreement can be reached within the current IUSA administration’s term but notes that many things, including INDOT’s response, could delay the process.

“There’s lots of legwork that has to be done,” Courtney said. “It may not be moving as fast as students may want, but we’re looking into the many variables that affect this.”