The Regional Transit Feasibility Survey is live now, officials hope regional transportation can ‘work together better’
Regional transportation officials are asking residents to complete a survey that will compile data to create a plan that could improve public transportation in Henderson, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties—and could lead to connectivity among the systems.
The survey, called the Regional Transit Feasibility Survey, is live now and will be open until Aug. 31.
Once results of the survey are compiled, that data will be given to consultant Michael Baker International to create a report that could include several transportation options, said Michael Schriefer, Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization chief transportation planner.
Public transportation in Henderson is provided by Henderson Area Rapid Transit, or HART; in Evansville, it’s provided by Metropolitan Evansville Transit system, or METS; and in Warrick County, it’s by the Warrick Area Transit System, or WATS.
Schriefer said a goal coming out of the survey is to find “how we can make them all work together better.”
That could include bus routes connecting all three counties, he said. Schiefer also said that another possibility is that all three systems are combined into one.
One of the challenges in future planning involves the money sources on which the three systems currently are funded, Schriefer said. METS’ funding comes from federal money because of its Evansville MPO, while HART is now funded by money that comes from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (though it used to be funded with federal dollars through the Evansville MPO) and WATS is funded by a nonprofit group out of Washington, Ind., Schriefer said.
At this stage, though, it’s too early to know anything concrete about any new possibilities, Schiefer said.
Schriefer said that officials want to capture information from as many residents as possible, and that includes people who are current users of local public transportation and those who have never ridden it.
He said the results of the survey should be ready within a few months after the deadline.
To complete the survey, scan the QR code on the image that accompanies this article. It takes less than five minutes to fill out.
