MCLEAN COUNTY (25News Now) – McLean County has chosen Connect Transit to take over rural transportation services after the county board voted in June to end its agreement with a Chenoa-based company, Show Bus.
The county board had received grants from an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) program called the Downstate Operating Assistance Program and allocated them to Show Bus.
If IDOT approves grant applications from Connect Transit, grants would go directly to the busing agency.
McLean County board member and Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Rogal said day-to-day service could look different.
“Because of us being that pass-through agency, we actually were potentially liable for any problems or anything that happened under Show Bus, whether it be in McLean County, Livingston County, or any of the other counties that they serve,” Rogal explained.
County residents could schedule a time for a driver to pick them up, similar to the Connect Flex program in Bloomington-Normal, which operates like a taxi service.
Connect Transit did not respond to 25News’ request for comment before 4 p.m. Thursday.
The chairman said the busing agency is working on the logistics of how they’re going to serve residents in rural parts of the county.
He said they may need to buy new vehicles or repurpose current ones.
“I think it will be more efficient, more useful for our rural residents,” Rogal said. “Hopefully, we’ll see in the first year that they get more services out of it.”
State law outlines that grant money for rural transit can not be used for urban transit. This means Connect Transit must separate grant money allocated for rural area use from money given by both the City of Bloomington and the Town of Normal.
Rogal said the board will make sure Connect Transit spends those funds appropriately and according to state law.
Connect Transit takes over services in June.
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