CityGo, OCCK Salina

OCCK main facility

         College is an exciting place to gain independence and experience the world without your parents. One common problem many students face is the lack of reliable transportation. “The ability to feel independent is needed for everyone, and transport provides that,” says Gretchen Eades, Mobility Specialist. Salina CityGo, operated by OCCK, delivers a reliable and affordable way to accomplish local travel. CityGo makes it easy to get where you’re going for only $1 per ride or $2 for a day pass. They also offer plans for more frequent riders, this includes a 6-trip pass for $5 (essentially one free ride), a monthly pass of unlimited rides for $35, and extended passes including 3, 6, or 12 months. CityGo buses follow a fixed schedule throughout the day and use radios to keep in contact with each other when problems arise according to Eades.

Availability of bus routes

Bus stop, along with rental bikes

There are currently five different available routes, and the company is working on adding a new “orange route” that will travel farther south, said Eades. Buses travel throughout their specific routes every hour, and every 30 minutes during the peak travel times in the day.

Looking at the map for all the available routes shows where the buses travel, different passenger pickup points, and where all buses meet each other so all riders can transfer among them to get to their destination. All available buses converge at the main hub point at 7^the and Walnut at the top of the hour, Eades stated.

Bus available features

Eades emphasizes that every available bus is held to a strict cleanliness standard on the inside and outside. They are cleaned every morning before the day starts and every night when the day ends, and even when immediate action is needed, the bus is pulled off the route and cleaned immediately.

All CityGo buses feature a bike rack for those going further than the bus line reaches. Other amenities all buses offer are an available lift for riders, and drivers are trained to notice and offer this assistance to all who may need it.

Student Knowledge of CityGo

Transit center

“Bus routes have been rearranged just last year for people to get to more needed areas,” said Renee Thompson, Office Manager in Student Development at KWU. Just last year, there was a stop right outside Wilson and Pfeiffer Hall, but it got moved along the route to just before you reach the school going south on Santa Fe. Most students do not use this as an accessible method of transportation.

Eades shared that CityGo is a more popular method of transportation than people think. Records show they transported around 1,800 people within a single month. She believes this is a great opportunity for students in need of reliable transportation.

If you want to find out more about everything they offer visit the link to Salina’s CityGo.

For other modes of transportation Salina provides visit Elise Alva’s page on KanCycles.