TARC seeks community input for proposed plans
TARC representative Shawn Reilly speaks with Maria, a frequent TARC rider, at the March 18 community event at Please & Thank You.
LOUISVILLE ー Community members gathered at Please and Thank You’s Frankfort Avenue location on Tuesday, March 18 to hear about Louisville’s Transit Authority of River City (TARC) and their proposed service network drafts for 2025.
The three draft networks for project TARC 2025 are listed below:
The Limited Network:
This plan is described as “bare bones” with significant reductions in service compared to current service, but TARC is confident that existing revenues can support it.
The Enhanced Network:
This plan is a redesigned network that slightly reduces service levels from current levels but provides better access to jobs and service to all JCPS magnet high schools.
The Growth Network:
This plan would see a significant increase in service and expansion in routes if additional long-term funding can be secured for transit service.
TARC handed out 50-year anniversary merchandise at the event including mugs and pop sockets.
TARC representative Shawn Reilly was present at the event to answer questions from the public, hand out TARC merchandise, such as 50-year anniversary mugs and TARC pop sockets, and direct people to take a new survey regarding the drafted networks.
Reilly emphasized that this newest survey is different from the one in the fall of 2024 which was used to create the drafted networks listed above. The fall survey garnered 2,800 responses from 165 public meetings and pop-ups; TARC is aiming for the same response rate for this spring survey.
While the previous survey was focused on whether bus frequency or coverage area was more important to TARC riders, the spring survey prioritizes whether or not the community would support TARC networks requiring additional funding.
If implemented next year, the Enhanced Network could be sustained for the next four years with current funding, but would need additional investment in 2030, Reilly said.
The Growth Network plan would require more significant funding, with TARC estimating that it would cost an additional $50 million annually to support it.
This survey also prompts community members to indicate whether or not they would be willing to support a tax that would fund additional service for TARC paratransit riders.
Feedback for these draft networks concludes on April 30. Until then, TARC will continue to hold public meetings and bus stop pop-ups to engage with the public about proposed service changes and encourage survey participation. The location of these pop-ups can be found at www.ridetarc.org/events/list.
Once feedback is concluded, the TARC Board of Directors will vote this summer, and the chosen plan will be implemented in the summer of 2026.
TARC is also making additional changes outside of service networks, including enhancing user access to real-time information on bus schedules. As of Monday, March 17 TARC has real-time information displayed in both Google Maps and the Transit app regarding estimated departure and arrival times, as well as cancellations.
Please & Thank You partners with TARC, offering a 20% discount to customers who are a part of TARC’s Riders Club.
TARC representatives are also encouraging attendees of their public meet-ups to join the TARC Riders Club by getting their TARC Card. This membership allows riders to use tap-to-pay on buses and provides discounts to several local businesses, including Please & Thank You where members receive a 20% discount by showing their TARC Card.
For more information on the proposed draft networks, text TARC2025 to (833) 689-3748 or visit TARC’s website at rideTARC.org/TARC2025.