Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority was a regional public transit agency operating in Northwest Indiana 's Lake and Porter counties. Established in 2000, it was known as Regional Transportation Authority until 2005. The agency is responsible for improving public transit options in Northwestern Indiana by consolidating and modifying existing services and introducing new ones to fill the gaps. Under the current consolidation plan, RBA will eventually assume responsibility for running all existing bus services in Lake and Porter counties. The details of the plan are still under development as of January 2010.
20-959: RBA is funded by Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority until December 2011. If it does not come up with an alternative funding source, the agency and the services it operates will be shut down. All fixed-route services operated by the RBA were shut down on June 30, 2012. Paratransit service was discontinued at the end of July 2012. In 2008, RBA partnered up with Gary Public Transportation Corporation to operate three express inter-city routes - Route 12:Tri City Connection, Route 17: South Broadway Express and Route 20: U.S. 30/Lincoln Highway Circular. RBA increased service frequency from an hour to half an hour. Route 12 connects Gary to Hammond Transit System's Dan Rabin Transit Center, allowing commuters to transfer to HTS and PACE buses. Route 17 connects Gary to Merrillville 's Century Mall. Route 20 acts as
40-441: A feeder service four Route 17, connecting riders to shopping destinations throughout Merrillville. As of January 2010, RBA assumed responsibility for running Hammond Transit System , which serves the cities of Hammond and Whitting. Originally, the system routes, prices and service frequency remained the same. The only visible indicator of the new ownership were the "EasyGo" stickers applied over all "Hammond Transit System" labels on
60-441: A feeder service four Route 17, connecting riders to shopping destinations throughout Merrillville. As of January 2010, RBA assumed responsibility for running Hammond Transit System , which serves the cities of Hammond and Whitting. Originally, the system routes, prices and service frequency remained the same. The only visible indicator of the new ownership were the "EasyGo" stickers applied over all "Hammond Transit System" labels on
80-465: A manner similar to Valparaiso's ChicaGo Dash . Known as EasyGo Chicago , it makes two trips from Dyer fire station to the Loop in the mornings and two return trips to Dyer in the evenings. The tickets cost $ 7.50 each way. So far, the ridership has been modest (an average of 17 riders per day). It is funded using RBA funds and a stimulus grant for the first two years. It is unclear how it will be funded once
100-413: A manner similar to Valparaiso's ChicaGo Dash . Known as EasyGo Chicago , it makes two trips from Dyer fire station to the Loop in the mornings and two return trips to Dyer in the evenings. The tickets cost $ 7.50 each way. So far, the ridership has been modest (an average of 17 riders per day). It is funded using RBA funds and a stimulus grant for the first two years. It is unclear how it will be funded once
120-566: Is a commuter bus system in Gary, Indiana that offers service to numerous stops throughout the city and neighboring suburbs. GPTC is a public corporation owned but not directly controlled by the city. The system started out Gary & Interurban Railway Company, a subsidiary of the Chicago – New York Electric Air Line Railroad . Founded in 1908, it operated streetcars and interurban trains throughout Gary and its neighboring suburbs and cities. In 1923,
140-663: Is available for disabled citizens. GPTC defines local routes as those bus lines completely within the corporate boundaries of the City of Gary. Many of these services follow routes that were formerly served by streetcar lines when transit was first established in the Gary area. When the Gary Public Transportation Corporation was created, service outside of the Gary city limits was suspended. In 1992, GPTC returned regional service to Northwest Indiana with
160-409: The 1940s, the streetcar service was gradually replaced with buses. In 1956, the city and interurban buses were split into Gary Transit Inc. and Gary Intercity Lines Inc, respectively. While Gary Intercity Lines ended its services in 1971, Gary Transit lasted until 1975, when it was reorganized into Gary Public Transit Corporation. At that point, Gary Public Transportation Company became the operator of
180-691: The Broadway Metro Express. Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority was a regional public transit agency operating in Northwest Indiana 's Lake and Porter counties. Established in 2000, it was known as Regional Transportation Authority until 2005. The agency is responsible for improving public transit options in Northwestern Indiana by consolidating and modifying existing services and introducing new ones to fill
200-605: The RBA were shut down on June 30, 2012. Paratransit service was discontinued at the end of July 2012. In 2008, RBA partnered up with Gary Public Transportation Corporation to operate three express inter-city routes - Route 12:Tri City Connection, Route 17: South Broadway Express and Route 20: U.S. 30/Lincoln Highway Circular. RBA increased service frequency from an hour to half an hour. Route 12 connects Gary to Hammond Transit System's Dan Rabin Transit Center, allowing commuters to transfer to HTS and PACE buses. Route 17 connects Gary to Merrillville 's Century Mall. Route 20 acts as
220-801: The budget shortfall. GPTC primarily serves Gary, with most routes radiating from the Gary Metro Center. GPTC also has express service to locations in Hammond , East Chicago and Merrillville , and its service area includes Crown Point and Hobart as well. Gary Metro Center serves as the system's primary hub - it also doubles as a South Shore Line station , connecting riders to destinations in Chicago and Northern Indiana . Route 13 provides service to Miller South Shore Line station. Route 12 connects to Pace bus routes at Dan Rabin Transit Center. It also connects to several East Chicago Transit routes at Indianapolis Boulevard. Curb to curb pickup
SECTION 10
#1732780513375240-467: The buses (the bus stop signage still retains the old name). On August 2, 2010, the RBA revamped the system as EasyGo Lake Transit service, expanding its reach to several Lake County suburbs and adding a new express route that links between Munster and the Lake county government offices at Crown Point. On February 1, 2010, RBA introduced a new rush hour express bus service between Dyer and downtown Chicago in
260-416: The buses (the bus stop signage still retains the old name). On August 2, 2010, the RBA revamped the system as EasyGo Lake Transit service, expanding its reach to several Lake County suburbs and adding a new express route that links between Munster and the Lake county government offices at Crown Point. On February 1, 2010, RBA introduced a new rush hour express bus service between Dyer and downtown Chicago in
280-484: The company was acquired by Samuel Insull 's Midland Utilities. By that point, Insull held a virtual monopoly over electrically powered public transit throughout northern Illinois, north Indiana and southwest Wisconsin. However, when Insull's fortunes fell in the wake of the Great Depression, Gary Railways Company was sold off to Chicago & Calumet District Transit Company, which made it a subsidiary. During
300-471: The creation of the Tri-City Connection. By 2005, GPTC served five other communities with three regional routes, providing transit to Crown Point, East Chicago, Hammond, Hobart and Merrillville. In 2008, GPTC formed a partnership with Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority to increase service on these regional routes, reducing headways on the routes in question. When the partnership ended in
320-524: The funding it provided over the past few years unless the agency signs a memorandum of understanding that signified its willingness to consolidate its operations under Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority . GTPC officials voted against the move in July 2010. The agency was unable to fill the funding gap, forcing it to cut routes and decrease service frequencies. The agency is currently contemplating increasing fares and eliminating Saturday service to make up for
340-475: The gaps. Under the current consolidation plan, RBA will eventually assume responsibility for running all existing bus services in Lake and Porter counties. The details of the plan are still under development as of January 2010. RBA is funded by Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority until December 2011. If it does not come up with an alternative funding source, the agency and the services it operates will be shut down. All fixed-route services operated by
360-506: The newly created Hammond Transit System . It was forced to cede the service to Hammond Yellow Coach Lines after a judge determined that the company could not operate a system outside Gary city limits. GPTC limited its operations to Gary until 1990, when it inaugurated new express bus routes that originated in downtown Gary and reached into Hammond, East Chicago, Merrillville and Crown Point. In 2010, Northwest Indiana Public Development Authority announced that it would not provide GTPC any of
380-433: The stimulus funds expire. RBA is currently considering taking over GPTC transit system and potentially tweaking the routes to make them more compatible with Hammond Transit System routes it already controls. No deal has been finalized as of July 2010. On June 30, 2012, all routes were shut down and service discontinued. Gary Public Transportation Corporation The Gary Public Transportation Corporation ( GPTC )
400-408: The summer of 2010, GPTC to cut down non-rush-hour service back to previous levels. GPTC is currently in the process of applying for another grant to restore the service. In February 2010, GPTC created a fourth regional route, University Park. Routes 12 and 17 only stop at specifically designated stops and have higher-than-standard fares. This service has since been replaced by their rapid bus service,
#374625