StarMetro officials proposed the new Nova 2010 transit system to improve the current Tallahassee bus route.
Brian Waterman, StarMetro planning administrator said Nova would change Tallahassee’s busing from a central hub to a system where riders can get from one point to another without going through downtown.
Waterman said the plan would serve to assist college students and city residents as they move about town with greater ease. It is intended to dramatically reduce downtown transfers, reduce travel times, and increase on-time bus service and frequency.
“As the city of Tallahassee has grown and changed, the jobs and the destinations have moved further outward, so the current model is not conducive to those trips further out,” the planning administrator.
Matthew McNair, 18, a first-year graphic communication student from Apopka, has been frequently late to school because of the bus schedule.
“I have been late to classes about five times already in the first few weeks, because sometimes the bus is too full or late and I have to wait on the next one,” McNair said.
Ron Garrison is the Star Metro executive director and his main goal is to significantly reduce commute times.
“With a decentralized transit system, some StarMetro customers may walk a bit farther to a StarStop, but customers will have multiple transfer options, greater bus frequency, shorter travel times and overall improved route performance,” Garrison said.
Currently, all of the StarMetro regular routes go through downtown, so people traveling from northeast to northwest Tallahassee must go through the plaza to reach his or her destination.
Morgan Salley, 19, a second-year pre-pharmacy student from Apopka, said he lived on-campus in the Gibbs Hall dormitory last year and always made it to class on time.
“Living off-campus this year has proven to be a challenge traveling on the buses,” Salley said
Star Metro will hold community listening sessions to get public input on the newly proposed plan.
The next session will be held Wednesday at the Leroy Collins Public Library located at 200 West Park Avenue from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.