- CyRide
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Pictured is bus #975 (left) and #980 (right)
#975 is a 2002 Orion Bus Industries V bus
#980 is a 1988 Orion Bus Industries I busFounded 1976 Headquarters 1700 6th Street
Ames, IA 50014Locale Ames, Iowa Service area Ames, Iowa,
Iowa State UniversityService type Intracity bus service Routes 12 Fleet 66 Operator City of Ames
Iowa State UniversityWeb site Official Website CyRide is a partnership between Iowa State University and Ames, Iowa. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames. The word CyRide is a portmanteau of two words: Cyclone (which is the mascot of the Iowa State Cyclones) and the word ride.
Contents
History
From the 1860s until the early 1890 college students were taxied to and from campus by a horse drawn carriage that was operated by brothers, Nichols and Maxwell Livery. The town committee published a report on November 1, 1890 stating that there would be a benefit to create a railroad to replace the current system.[1]
On July 4, 1892, the rail line, named the dinkey (given by the size of the engine) departed from its barn on the east end of 5th street, for its first 2-mile (3.2 km) trip to the Iowa State University campus.[1] The dinkey ran on 30 lb/yd (15 kg/m) rail; that is small compared to the 136 lb/yd (67 kg/m) rail that is used today. The dinkey had three passenger cars that were often at maximum capacity because of the growing population of the city.
In 1929, the dinkey was replaced by a bus system that transported passengers to and from the Iowa State University.[2] In 1976 all operating buses were combined and CyRide was started as a city department. In 1981 Bob Bourne was the director of CyRide. He brought CyRide from a 12 bus, 3 route system to a 65 bus, 11 route system in his 25 years of employment at CyRide.[3]
Routes
Route Number Route Starting Terminal Ending Terminal Major Streets traveled 1 Red West[4]North Grand Mall Ames Middle School Mortensen Road, Lincoln Way, Duff Avenue 1 Red East[5]Ames Middle School North Grand Mall Mortensen Road, Lincoln Way, Duff Avenue 2 Green West[6]North Grand Mall Ontario St. & California Ave. Ontario St., Hyland Ave, 6th Street, Grand Avenue 2 Green East[7]Ontario St. & California Ave. North Grand Mall Ontario St., Hyland Ave, 6th Street, Grand Avenue 3 Blue South[8]North Grand Mall South Duff & 5th Street South 4th Steet, Beach Aveanue, Stange Road, 24th Street 3 Blue North[9]Birch River Apartments North Grand Mall South 4th Steet, Beach Aveanue, Stange Road, 24th Street 4 Gray[10]South East 16th St. & South Dayton Kildee Hall Highway 30, South East 16th, Wallace Road 5 Yellow[11]City Hall Viola Mea & Ken Maril Rd. South Duff, Lincoln Way 6 Brown South[12]North Grand Mall ISU Research Park University Blvd, Mortensen Parkway, Welch Aveanue
Stange Road, Bloomington Road6 Brown North[13]ISU Research Park North Grand Mall University Blvd, Mortensen Parkway, Welch Aveanue
Stange Road, Bloomington Road6A Towers Shuttle[14]Storm St. Osborn Dr. Welch Ave. 7 Purple[15]Mortensen Rd. Osborn Dr. South Dakota, Lincoln Way, Union Dr. 21 Cardinal[16]Frederiksen Court Union Drive Stange Road, Osborn Drive, Union Drive 22 Gold[17]Ash Ave. & Sunset Dr. Spedding Hall Pammel Drive, Lynn Avenue, Wallace Road 23 Orange[18]Veterinary Medicine Building Osborn Dr. Wallace Road, Osborn Dr. South East 16th St. Billy Sunday[19]Billy Sunday Road Osborn Dr. South Duff, Lincoln Way, Osborne Drive. Fares
- Iowa State Students
Students of Iowa State University are able to ride Cyride without paying the normal fare by presenting the bus driver with their Iowa State identification card. This is necessary on all bus routes except the Gold, Cardinal, and Orange Routes which always allow passengers to travel without charge. Iowa State University charges a fee each semester to all students for CyRide service. This student fee is paid to CyRide to subsidize the cost of operations.
A ISU Card allows students to board any bus for free
- Reduced Fare Riders
To qualify for reduced fare, you must be a student in grades K-12, a senior citizen, or a person with a disability. The reduced Fare is .50 US Dollar for a one way trip. Multiple tickets can be purchased at a time if a ticket book is purchased in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 5 US Dollars. Ticket books can be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.
- Full Fare Riders
Full Fare Riders covers everyone else who is riding. The regular fare is 1.00 US Dollar. Full fare riders can also purchase multiple tickets in advance. Ticket books come in a packet of 10 which cost 10 dollars. Ticket books can also be bought at local grocery stores, Ames city hall, and Cyride headquarters.
- Children Under Five
Children under the age of five are free with an accompanying adult. There may be no more than three children per adult.
Active Bus Fleet
Number Year Model Length Quantity Engine type Headsign A/C 
Comments 869 1968 GMC New Look 35' 1 Diesel Roll Sign 
941-943, 952 1973–1974 GMC New Look 40' 4 Diesel Roll Sign 
890-891, 898, 900, 908-910, 912 1983–1988 Orion I 35' 10 Diesel Roll Sign 983-984 1988 Orion I 35' 2 Diesel Flip Dot 980-982 1988 Orion I 40' 3 Diesel Flip Dot 17-18, 962-967, 985-993, 953-958, 970-977, 994-997 1989–2005 Orion V 40' 22 Diesel Roll Sign / Flip Dot / LED 926-927, 933-934 1993–1996 Gillig Phantom 35' 4 Diesel LED 944-947, 0819-0822 1999–2008 Gillig Low Floor 40' 8 Diesel LED 1-4 2006 Orion VII 40' 4 Diesel LED Additional Services
Moonlight Express
In 1984 Cyride started to operate a on Friday and Saturday nights service called Moonlight Express which has been dubbed “the drunk bus” by students.[20] This system was put into service to allow students to socialize with their friends while offering a safe alternative to driving while impaired. Between the hours of 10:00 pm to 3:30am the moonlight express will stop at any stop along the normal fixed route.
In the time Moonlight Express has been running, there have been no drunk-driving fatalities in Ames during its hours of operation.
Dial-A-Ride
Dial-A-Ride is a door to door service that caters mostly to elderly and disabled persons. This service take people within ¾ mile from any fixed Cyride route. A Dial-A-Ride rides need to be scheduled the day before to ensure a spot. In 2005 Dial-A-Ride was turned over to the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Authority (HIRTA) which is operated out of the Heartland Senior Services site in the Ames area.
Future
CyRide is considering bringing a "fare-free" system to all Ames residents. CyRide currently receives 270,000 dollars from paid fares that will have to be compenstated for some other way[21]
In 2009 CyRide was one of 42 applicants to receive a Tigger grant through the Federal Transit Administration. This allowed them to purchase 12 new Hybrid buses at a cost of $6 million. The new buses - dubbed 'Cybrids' - will get an estimated 6 mpg. The current fleet averages about 4.5 mpg fuel efficiency.[22]
Awards
- 2002 APTA Gold Safety Award Finalist
- 1999 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
- 1997 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
- 1996 APTA AdWheels Award Winner
- 1995 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Winner
- 1993 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
- 1992 Public Risk Management Administration Achievement Award
- 1991 APTA Neil E. Goldschmidt Silver Safety Award Finalist
- 1989 UMTA Outstanding Public Service Award
- 1989 UMTA Administrator's Award[23]
- 1983 All America City Award
- 15 State Bus Roadeo Winners (as of June 2006)
- 2nd place in the 35' bus division at the 2004 APTA International Bus Roadeo
- 5th place in the 35' bus division at the 2007 APTA International Bus Roadeo
References
- ^ a b Ames & College Railway Dinkey
- ^ Dinkey Timeline
- ^ Borne Transit
- ^ CyRide
- ^ CyRide
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- ^ Culberson, Becky (2005), Iowa State University : Off the Record (College Prowler), http://www.collegeprowler.com, retrieved 2008-02-23
- ^ Fergusen, Kyle (2008-02-18), "CyRide considers opening doors to all", Iowa State Daily, http://www.iowastatedaily.com/articles/2008/02/13/news/20080213-archive2.txt, retrieved 2010-03-08
- ^ Schleuter, Sara (2010-01-10), "CyRide goes green with hybrid buses", Iowa State Daily, http://www.iowastatedaily.com/articles/2010/01/26/news/local_news/doc4b5e89e8e43ea720016897.txt, retrieved 2010-03-08
- ^ Borne Transit
Iowa State University Academics Colleges: Agriculture and Life Sciences • Business • Design • Engineering • Graduate College • Human Sciences • Liberal Arts & Sciences • Veterinary MedicineAthletics Men's: Baseball • Basketball • Cross Country • Football • Golf • Track & Field • Wrestling
Women's: Basketball • Cross Country • Golf • Gymnastics • Soccer • Softball • Swimming & Diving • Tennis • Track & Field • Volleyball
Venues:Hilton Coliseum • Jack Trice Stadium • Veenker Memorial Golf Course • Cap Timm Field • Ames/ISU Ice Arena
People: Paul Rhoads • Fred Hoiberg • Bill Fennelly • Kevin Jackson
Misc.: Cy the Cardinal • Cy-Hawk Trophy • Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series • ISU Fights • Marching BandCampus Research Ames Laboratory • USDA-National Soil Tilth Laboratory •History John Vincent Atanasoff • Atanasoff–Berry Computer • George Washington Carver • Jack Trice • ISU Presidents • Notable AlumniStudent Life Categories:- Bus transportation in Iowa
- Iowa State University
- University and college bus systems
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