TANK Proposed Service & Fare Changes in 2025
In 2020, TANK embarked on a system redesign to provide more frequent and reliable service, focusing on the travel patterns of our riders in the years leading up to those changes. Since 2020, much has changed for our region. These post-pandemic changes evolved rapidly and have affected where people live, where people work, and how people travel in their day-to-day lives.
In order for TANK to keep up with our riders’ needs, we had to look at how these shifts related to public transit. We took every opportunity to learn about our customers and our region’s employers to better understand if our current services are working or what we may need to adjust to better meet these changing demands. Additionally, with limited resources and constrained local funding, we have to do more with less and focus more on our service delivery approach.
After much internal review, TANK is shifting its focus to using resources to best serve the transit-dependent population in Northern Kentucky, particularly those with no or limited access to personal vehicles, zero-car households, and seniors. As such, the proposed changes to TANK’s service align with this vision. These changes allow us to connect more unconnected Northern Kentucky neighborhoods and transit-dependent people with fixed-route buses and on-demand transit services.
The changes being proposed are two-fold: Service Changes and Fare Increase
Service Changes:
What are the proposed changes?
Route Eliminations (17X, 22X, 32X, 61, 62):
17x – Alternative route to use, can ride the 30x from the Ft Wright Hub
22x – Alternative route to use, can ride the 42x from the Florence Hub
32x – Alternative route to use, can ride the 42x from the Florence Hub OR 39x from the Limaburg Rd Park and Ride
Why:
Since the pandemic, as the nature of working downtown has changed, the nature of transit ridership has changed, particularly on downtown express routes. These routes cater more to people who commute to downtown Cincinnati but have suffered chronically low ridership since 2020. TANK is attempting to consolidate express routes, opening up resources that can help make other services more efficient. Nearby alternatives exist for current riders of these routes to get to and from their job’s downtown, as shown above.
61 – Riders of the 61 can ride Route 5 to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Covington. A stop at St. Elizabeth used to exist on the 5 but was removed when the 61 was created; that stop will be restored so people can still access the hospital.
62 – TANK will be working with CVG to develop an alternative solution for riders to navigate the CVG campus
Why:
Due to their purpose and layout, these routes are more limited in scope and thus have very low ridership.
Route Adjustments:
Route 5 – As mentioned above, the stop at St. Elizabeth in Covington will be restored to Route 5. In addition, due to the closing of the City Heights apartment complex in Ft. Wright, this route will no longer be stopping there.
Routes 1 & 25—The 1 and 25 routes will be unlinked. Due to their layout and length, as well as their high ridership, unlinking them will help improve their on-time performance, making them more reliable for more riders.
Fare Increase to $2.00 in 2025:
TANK, like most transit agencies, received an injection of federal funding at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, but those funds will be depleted in the next couple of years. TANK has not raised fares in over 15 years, but as a result of increased costs, limited increases in local funding, and the loss of federal operating dollars, fares need to be increased to $2.00 in 2025 to assist TANK with generating operating funding to continue to provide vital transit services to Northern Kentucky. Reduced fares would be $1.00 for all routes.
However, frequent riders will be able to save more money soon, with the start of TANK’s new account-based ticketing program. TANK is working with Metro on an account-based ticketing (ABT) program which will allow frequent riders who are unable to purchase a monthly pass each month the ability to ‘pay their way’ to a monthly pass. Once a rider has purchased enough single rides (within the span of a single month) to cover the cost of a monthly pass, they will be able to ride for the remainder of the month at no cost.
We know these proposed changes have an impact on our riders, and we want to hear your feedback. Here’s how you can contribute.
Attend one of our public meetings:
When: October 3, 2024 | 5:30 – 7:30PM
Where: Boone County Public Library – Florence Branch (7425 US Highway 42)
This event will be Open House style. Stop in any time during the 2 hours to review these changes, ask our team questions, and provide your feedback. Food will be served.
When: October 7, 2024 | 5:30 – 7:30PM
Where: Kenton County Public Library – Covington Branch (502 Scott Street)
This event will be Open House style. Stop in any time during the 2 hours to review these changes, ask our team questions, and provide your feedback. Food will be served.
Can’t attend one of our public meetings? Share your feedback online here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2025servicechanges
or call 859-331-8265 to speak to a TANK customer service representative
Any comments or feedback MUST be received no later than 10/25/24 in order for the feedback to be considered.