Bloomington Transit is rolling out several route changes as Indiana University begins its fall semester.
Routes 6, 9, and 13 will follow new travel patterns starting the first day of classes, which is Aug. 25. The changes stem from BT’s transition to a larger fleet of electric buses, which cannot fit under the 10th Street railroad underpass.
Shelley Strimaitis, planning and special projects manager at Bloomington Transit, said that’s why Routes 6 and 9 are being rerouted.
“Routes six and nine are mostly to avoid that 10th Street underpass which our new electric buses can no longer fit under,” she said.
The Tulip Tree Apartments stop will no longer be served by BT but will be covered by IU Campus Bus routes instead. BT will now serve Campus View Apartments, which are no longer on IU’s routes.
Route 6 is also expanding service. The former “6 Limited” buses are being folded into the main Route 6, with additional afternoon trips. Riders can now expect a bus every 14 minutes until early evening.
“Throughout the day, up until about 6 or 7 p.m., there will be 14-minute service on the six all day long,” Strimaitis said.
Route 13, which connects downtown to Ivy Tech, will add stops at the YMCA Northwest. Its schedule will also shift to leave downtown at 10 minutes after the hour to better align with class times.
Strimaitis said Routes 6 and 9 changes will primarily affect IU students, while Route 13 adjustments are expected to benefit more Bloomington residents. She added BT will monitor ridership closely in the coming weeks, but no further mid-semester changes are planned.
Riders can track buses using the Spot app. IU students will also begin using the UMO fare app as physical bus cards are gradually phased out.
