Marion Transit System (MTS) is the primary provider of mass transportation in Marion, Indiana, with five routes serving the region. As of 2019, the system provided 257,760 rides over 14,708 annual vehicle revenue hours with 5 buses and 1 paratransit vehicle.[1]

Marion Transit System
Headquarters520 E. 6th St.
LocaleMarion, Indiana
Service areaGrant County, Indiana
Service typeBus service, paratransit
Routes5
StationsBus Terminal, 202 S. Adams St.
Annual ridership257,760 (2019)
WebsiteMarion Transit System

Public transit in Marion began with horsecars in 1889, with the Marion Street Railway Co. In 1893, the horsecars were replaced with streetcars, which in turn were replaced by buses in 1947.[2] In 2021, a mural was painted on a building across from the bus terminal, depicting an interurban that formerly provided transit service in the city.[3] From 2020 through 2022, bus schedules were limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later staffing shortages.[4]

Service

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Marion Transit System operates five weekday bus routes on a pulse system with all routes serving the downtown bus terminal on the hour.[5] Hours of operation for the system are Monday through Friday from 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. There is no service on Saturdays and Sundays. Buses are fare-free.[6]

Routes

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  • Central Marion / Ivy Tech
  • General Motors / Northeast
  • IWU / North Marion
  • Southeast / West Point
  • West Marion / VA Hospital

Fixed route ridership

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The ridership statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response services.[7]

50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Marion Transit System Agency Profile" (PDF). Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Transit Systems in Indiana". Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Jaylan Miller (November 2, 2021). "Mural creates community". Chronicle-Tribune. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Carl Gingerich (January 7, 2022). "Staffing woes create change to Marion bus schedules". Chronicle-Tribune. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  5. ^ "Route Maps". Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "MTS Brochure" (PDF). Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "The National Transit Database (NTD)". Retrieved September 5, 2023.
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