Rapid Transit Begins Route Refresher January 20 with Added Locations; Issues 2024 Ridership Numbers

RAPID TRANSIT BEGINS ROUTE REFRESHER JANUARY 20 WITH ROUTE CHANGES, ADDITIONAL STOPS

RAPID CITY, SD—Effective January 20, Rapid Transit System (RTS) will begin its RapidRide Route Refresher, restructuring some routes with small adjustments and others with additional locations.

             The RapidRide Route Refresher was approved by the Rapid City Council last May and RTS officials have been working to re-time routes, update signage, route maps, the RTS website and public service announcements. 

            New stops by RTS buses on the City’s fixed-route system will include Monument Health, Oyate Health Center, Community Health Center, Behavior Management System, Feeding South Dakota, the South Dakota One-Stop Center, Western Dakota Technical College and Oglala Lakota College.

            The route refresh was completed to address growth within Rapid City’s fixed-route system, utilizing recommendations from the 2022 Transit Development Plan, Rapid Transit System officials and the public, which had been tasked to provide feedback at various opportunities in recent years.

            “We are excited to engage the adjustments and new stops,” said RTS Manager Megan Gould-Stabile.  “This effort is a culmination of a lengthy process and it could not have been done without the feedback and input from the public.

            “Most of the changes we’ve made include minor changes to segments of a route, but some routes have been given a major update. The goal and purpose of the route refresher is to make our routes more efficient and accessible to the public.”

            Gould-Stabile says the initiative also considers Rapid City’s anticipated continued growth in population and increased need for public transportation.

            For more information about the changes, contact RTS at 605-394-6631 and visit www.rapidtransitsystem.org .

Changes to each RTS route include:

JEFFERSON ROUTE REFRESH

Jefferson Northeast

1. Provide access to
   1. Community Health Center
   2. Feeding South Dakota (on the same side of the street)
   3. Menard’s shopping area
   4. Shepard Hills Development

Jefferson Southeast

1. Provide access to:
   1. Western SD Community Action Agency
   2. Rural American Initiative
   3. Emergency Vet Hospital
   4. Western Dakota Technical Institute
   5. Shepard Hills Development

BORGLUM ROUTE REFRESH

Jackson Boulevard

1. Segment between West Flormann St and Jackson Boulevard was updated to provide more access to the neighborhood near Mt. View-Mount Calvary Cemetery.
2. Removes a safety hazard during inclement weather on Sheridan Lake Road over the hill by the cemetery.
3. Deviation to Oyate Health Center.

West Main Street

1. No Changes were made to this route.

COOLIDGE ROUTE REFRESH

Coolidge Northbound

1. Provide access to:
   1. Anamosa Street from Luna Drive west to Silver Street with a section that will run on both sides (north and south) of the street.

Coolidge Southbound

1. Provide access to:
   1. 5th Street from Columbus St south to Stumer Rd with a section that will run on both sides (east and west) of the street.

LINCOLN ROUTE REFRESH

Lincoln Northbound

1. Provide access to:
   1. State of South Dakota’s One-Stop Shop on Mall Drive. 
   2. South Dakota Department of Labor.

Lincoln Southbound

1. No changes were made to this route.

ROOSEVELT ROUTE REFRESH

Roosevelt Northeast

1. Provide access to:
   1. Gnugnuska Drive in Lakota Homes 
   2. Oglala Lakota College

Roosevelt Southeast

1. Provide access to:
   1. Behavior Management System
   2. Central High School.

WASHINGTON ROUTE REFRESH

Washington Northbound

1. Provide access to:
   1. Uptown Rapid shopping mall and restaurants.

Washington Southbound

1. Similar access to Lincoln Southbound, but in the opposite direction. 

  ***

LARGE SPIKES IN RIDERSHIP REFLECTED IN YEARLY REPORT ISSUED BY RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

RAPID CITY, SD (January 9)—Rapid Transit System (RTS) experienced substantial increases in ridership in 2024, including the final month of the calendar year.

            “This past year was a fantastic year in terms of increases in both overall ridership and youth ridership,” said RTS Manager Megan Gould-Stabile. “We continue to see impressive growth in ridership.  We are initiative a route refresher this month with some route adjustments and in some instances, adding new locations.

            “We appreciate the confidence shown by residents in the increased use of our community’s public transportation system.  For many of our community’s residents, RapidRide and Dial-A-Ride is a vital and important component in their lives.”

            In statistics released Thursday, RTS reports 258,131 passenger trips were recorded in 2024, an increase of eight percent or more than 20,000 passenger trips from the 237,619 recorded in 2023.  Last year’s overall ridership numbers are a 21 percent increase from 2022 and a 26 percent hike from the ridership numbers experienced in 2021. RTS experienced an increase of more than 66,000 passenger trips from the 2021 ridership numbers when 191,922 trips were recorded.

            December’s overall ridership numbers also reflect a hefty increase.  A total of 21,697 boardings were recorded last month, a 14 percent increase over the 18,605 rider trips recorded in December 2023, a 41 percent increase over the December 2022 ridership numbers and a 29 percent increase over December 2021.

YOUTH RIDERSHIP

            Large ridership increases were also experienced with the ‘Youth Ride Free’ program in 2024. 

            A total of 61,168 youth passenger trips were recorded during the period January through December last year, a 14 percent increase over the 52,557 youth trips recorded for the 2023 calendar year.  RTS recorded nearly 25,000 more youth passenger trips in 2024 than were recorded in 2021 (36,599).

            December youth passenger trips totaled 5,472, a significant 24 percent boost from the 4,174 youth passenger trips recorded in December 2023 and more than doubling the youth trips recorded on RTS buses just three years ago in December 2021.

            In eight of nine months coinciding with the academic school year, RTS recorded five-year highs in youth ridership.

RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM (History):

Rapid Transit Service began as a general public Demand Response program in late 1983 with two vans.  In 1985, RTS expanded to four mini buses. In 1992, the service expanded into a fixed route service and complimentary paratransit service. 

         RapidRide operates six different fixed routes and provides timely service to many convenient locations throughout Rapid City.  All RapidRide routes run on 35-minute frequencies.

         Dial-A-Ride is a curb-to-curb/door to door transportation service in Rapid City operated by the Rapid Transit System. Dial-A-Ride operates within the city limits of Rapid City and has been providing services to local residents who qualify for service under the Americans with Disabilities Act since 1992.

        Rapid Transit System has also been operating the ‘Youth Ride Free’ program since 2015, allowing youth passengers to utilize the RapidRide system for free throughout the year.

         For more information about RTS contact 605-394-6631 or visit www.rapidtransitsystem.org .