INDIANAPOLIS — Beginning Jan. 2, people who live in Indianapolis and work in either the Plainfield or Whitestown industrial parks will be able to catch a bus back and forth for free.
The Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA) and businesses in the Plainfield and Whitestown Economic Improvement Districts (EIDs) are launching a promotional offer of zero-fare rides on Workforce Connectors in 2024.
“We’re doing this for a couple of reasons,” CIRTA executive director Jennifer Gebhard said. “One is in hopes to just help people in a really hard time right now with inflation and the high cost of everything.”
The other, she said, is to raise awareness and let people know the routes exist.
Gebhard said Workforce Connectors fill the gap between IndyGo bus stops in Marion County and e-commerce fulfillment centers with jobs in Plainfield and Whitestown.
CIRTA will eliminate fares “in a test to attract ridership, while also reducing boarding times at stops."
Several U.S. cities are testing zero fares on their entire transit systems or on specific routes, according to CIRTA’s announcement.
“This promotion is about providing access to opportunities for employment for individuals, as well as delivering a much-needed workforce for employers,” Gebhard said.
“It’s here every day, and it’s on time. It’s convenient. It’s a lifeline,” said Mark Slaughter, whose been using the connector route from his home in Indianapolis to his job in Plainfield for several months. “I love the jobs out here … everything out here pays more than $18 an hour.”
The connector routes begin running from the Julia Carson Transit Center in downtown Indianapolis at 5:10 a.m. and run until about 7:10 p.m., six days a week.
Gebhard said CIRTA would like to eventually offer routes to other communities as well.
Click here to see current Workforce Connector schedules.