MTD Pulse

As the community prepares to welcome students back at both local schools and the University of Illinois, so too is MTD gearing up to return to Fall Service for our 2023-2024 Service Year, beginning Sunday, August 13.

With the 2023-2024 Service Year, MTD has made some changes to five of our community routes in order to maximize successful transfers and improve schedule adherence. We also made these changes in response to customer feedback related to previous COVID-related service reductions, and requests for additional service. As staffing increases, routes and frequencies are considered for restoration based on which routes have the largest frequency gaps, community feedback, and ridership levels. We are committed to maintaining dependable and accessible mobility options for customers across our service area.

For 2023-2024, MTD made changes to the 14 Navy, the 110 Ruby Evening and Weekend, the 3/30 Lavender Weekday and Weekend, the 8 Bronze, and the 180 Lime Weekend. Updated schedules are published in our new Maps & Schedules book, which is available inside all buses, inside MTD’s Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign, and online at mtd.org/maps-and-schedules/maps/.

3 Lavender Weekday

In the new service year, we made a change in the 3 Lavender Weekday routing for trips serving Interstate/Research Park. This change allows the route to serve new businesses in the area, including Amazon facilities and Hyundai Transys. Previously, 3N Lavender trips traveled from Newton to Farber to Interstate. In the 2023-2024 Service Year, these trips will travel from Newton to Boardwalk to Interstate. This removes the Farber at CERL stop, and adds a stop near Boardwalk and Interstate.

8 Bronze

In the new service year, we changed a timepoint on the 8 Bronze route, moving it from Transit Plaza to the Illini Union South Shelter. This change facilitates the on-time start of the 3:43PM trip; the Illini Union will be the new transition point between the 8W Bronze and 8E Bronze. The 8 Bronze schedule remains unchanged, except for this published timepoint.

14 Navy

Over our last Service Year, MTD’s Route Performance team found that schedule adherence issues on the 14 Nave in both the morning and afternoon were caused by routing and scheduling associated with trips to the Curtis Meadow subdivision. 14 Navy trips to Curtis Meadow served Carle at the Fields twice – once westbound and once eastbound – and delays were compounded when our vehicles made left turns at the uncontrolled intersection of Windsor & Fields Dr. in rush hour traffic.

• In the new service year, the 14 Navy will serve Carle at the Fields only once during the westbound portion of 14 Navy trips to Curtis Meadow. After serving Carle at the Fields, the route will continue to Healthcare Dr. to Staley Rd., which is a controlled intersection, avoiding the left turn onto Windsor Rd. from Fields Dr.
• When the 14 Navy finishes serving Curtis Meadow, it begins an eastbound trip, serving the Stephens Family YMCA before turning around and continuing eastbound on Windsor Rd. The time saved by this change allows for schedule revisions, improving on-time performance.

30 Lavender Weekend

Over the last service year, our Route Performance team studied schedule adherence on the 30 Lavender Weekend. It was identified that Saturday and Sunday Lavenders run late, especially in the afternoon and at the ends of the route. Our team also surveyed Weekend Lavender riders. Most respondents who transferred regularly preferred to wait 5-10 minutes for their second bus if it increased their transfer’s reliability. When asked how the route could be improved, many respondents asked for the route to run on time.

In the new service year, we made some Saturday and Sunday afternoon schedule changes that will help the 30 Lavender route stay on time in the afternoons. The schedule improves wait times when transferring to some routes, and worsens it for others, but overall transfers and reliability should increase.

• Changes in trip times on the 30 Lavender Saturday have been made between 12:30PM and 5:12PM, affecting all Saturday Lavender trips during and after this time.
• Changes in trip times on the 30 Lavender Sunday have been made between 11:51AM and 3:11PM, affecting all Sunday Lavender trips during and after this time.

110 Ruby Evening and Weekend to Farm & Fleet

In response to customer feedback, MTD is expanded service on the 110 Ruby Evening and Weekend routes to serve Farm & Fleet. In our previous Service Year, Farm & Fleet was served only by the 11N Ruby Daytime. In our new service year, we’ve added a stop near the SE corner of Farm & Fleet, by the Automotive department. The 110 Ruby will enter and exit on the South Side of Farm & Fleet’s property.

• This change adds four new weekday evening trips hourly from 7:55PM to 10:55PM.
• This change adds seventeen new Saturday trips hourly from 7:25AM to 10:55PM.
• This change adds ten new Sunday trips hourly from 8:55AM to 5:39PM.

180A Lime Weekend

In the fall of 2020, the 180A Lime route was suspended in response to MTD’s COVID-related Operator shortage. Since that time, the 180 Lime Saturday has not served areas south of Kirby. On Saturdays, the 180A Lime and 180B Lime serve different areas, whereas on Sundays, they share the same routing.

In our new service year, we are restoring 180A Lime Saturday service and pausing 180A Lime Sunday service. This change increases coverage and frequency on Saturdays, and maintains coverage but reduces frequency on Sundays.

Additional Changes

In this service year, we’ve made a modification to a school trip serving Turnberry Ridge after school, and added a new iStop within the current iStop Zone.

• To improve travel times for students who live in Turnberry Ridge, 16 Pink school trips no longer serve the neighborhood. Instead, Turnberry Ridge will continue to be served as the first stop on the 5W Green Express-Copper Ridge after school.
• Because ridership levels at the Lincoln & Clark SW Far Side bus stop are similar to levels at other iStops within the Lincoln Avenue corridor, MTD is making this bus stop an iStop. This stop is located near The Retreat Illinois development close to the University campus. Allowing front and rear door boarding at this stop will reduce dwell times and aid schedule adherence for the 6W Orange and 22S/220S Illini and Illini Limited.

We are excited to continue providing safe, efficient and courteous transportation for all of our passengers as we begin our new service year. Passengers are welcome to call us any time at 217.384.8188 to get the most up to date information on our new service year, or with questions about their trips.