Current Transit System In Northern Kentucky
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Buses have provided the only form of public transit in the Greater Cincinnati area since 1950, when the area's last streetcar ceased operations (Tenkotte and Claypool 2009). Public bus transit in Northern Kentucky is operated by the Transportation Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) and currently consists of twenty-six bus routes which run through Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties.
TANK routes have expanded over time to reflect passenger demand and new spatial trends of development. For example, in 1995 TANK aggressively expanded its service network, with new service to the Airport, Burlington, Hebron, and select southern portions of the three counties covered by TANK (TANK n.d. b).
In 1996, after seventy-five years of operation, TANK closed its Dixie Terminal hub in downtown Cincinnati (Winston 1998). This directly led to the creation of TANK's new hub, the Covington Transit Center, which opened in 1998 (TANK n.d. b). TANK bus routes also cross into downtown Cincinnati to connect passengers with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's (SORTA's) Metro buses at the transit station at Government Square.
TANK routes have expanded over time to reflect passenger demand and new spatial trends of development. For example, in 1995 TANK aggressively expanded its service network, with new service to the Airport, Burlington, Hebron, and select southern portions of the three counties covered by TANK (TANK n.d. b).
In 1996, after seventy-five years of operation, TANK closed its Dixie Terminal hub in downtown Cincinnati (Winston 1998). This directly led to the creation of TANK's new hub, the Covington Transit Center, which opened in 1998 (TANK n.d. b). TANK bus routes also cross into downtown Cincinnati to connect passengers with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's (SORTA's) Metro buses at the transit station at Government Square.
In 1998, TANK and Southbank Partners launched the Southbank Shuttle trolley bus service, which was designed to join Cincinnati's stadiums and CBD with the entertainment districts in Covington and Newport (Tenkotte and Claypool 2009, 886). The program was such a success that TANK ordered new, larger buses in 2001 to keep up with ridership demands (Tenkotte and Claypool 2009, 886).
Interestingly, the Southbank Shuttle line does not directly connect Newport to Covington. A streetcar route for Northern Kentucky would likely create a circulation pattern similar to that of the Southbank Shuttle (with the exception of connecting Covington directly with Newport in a loop pattern), based on the system's success and the density of the areas in which it operates. This circulation pattern for streetcar development in Northern Kentucky was planned for by OKI and SORTA in their proposed MetroMoves plan.
Interestingly, the Southbank Shuttle line does not directly connect Newport to Covington. A streetcar route for Northern Kentucky would likely create a circulation pattern similar to that of the Southbank Shuttle (with the exception of connecting Covington directly with Newport in a loop pattern), based on the system's success and the density of the areas in which it operates. This circulation pattern for streetcar development in Northern Kentucky was planned for by OKI and SORTA in their proposed MetroMoves plan.
TANK has also tried to bolster ridership through the implementation of new programs related to their core transit service. These initiatives include a reverse commuting service to create access to more employers located in the suburbs and a Tax Free Transit Benefit program for certain employers to incentivize public transit use for their employees (TANK n.d. a; TANK n.d. c). TANK also offers a Guaranteed Ride Home program (for stranded passengers or emergency use) and also offers nineteen park and ride lots throughout Kentucky (TANK n.d. c).