VALPARAISO | May was another good month for ridership on the ChicaGo Dash express commuter bus service with the average number of daily passengers setting a new high.
Assistant City Planner Tyler Kent said the average daily ridership for the three ChicaGo Dash routes was 91.6 during May with a total ridership of 3,846. March's record high total was 4,064, but March had two more service days.
Kent said total ridership on the three buses topped 100 a total of 17 times, 11 on the morning commute and six times in the evening, in May. Average ridership has increased almost every month, but Kent said, with the vacation season under way, the June numbers are expected to drop.
Those who bicycle to the Village Station at Lincolnway and Campbell Street and catch the bus can store their bike during the day in one of new bike lockers installed at the station.
The city got 10 double locker structures capable of holding a total of 20 bikes. One two-space locker is installed at the station and the others are scattered over the downtown parking lots. Each is available for a $45 deposit, Kent said.
To use one of the lockers, a person has to fill out an application. If the locker is damaged or cleanup is required or maintenance is needed at the end of the use, a $45 an hour fee is charged for the work.
"What we are trying to do is get vehicles off the road and reduce emissions," Kent said. "Renewals will be sent to the address provided on the application."
With Valparaiso University classes ending in early May, ridership on the V-Line intracity buses dropped about 1,400 from April.
The Yellow Route had 2,392 riders, the Green Route 2,249, the Brown Route 820, the Orange Route 158 and the Red Route 141. April's numbers for the individual routes was: Yellow, 2,570; Green, 2,391; Brown, 1,582; Orange, 404, and Red, 177.
Please Wait…