- Cyride
Infobox Bus transit
name = Cyride
logo_size = 250
image_size = 300px
image_caption = Pictured is bus #975 (left) and #980 (right)
#975 is a 2002Orion Bus Industries V bus
#980 is a 1988Orion Bus Industries I bus
company_slogan =
parent =
founded = 1976
headquarters = 1700 6th StreetAmes, IA 50014
locale =Ames
service_area =Ames, Iowa ,
Iowa State University
service_type = Intracity bus service
alliance =
routes = 12
destinations =
stops =
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet = 66
ridership =
fuel_type =
operator = City of Ames
Iowa State University
ceo =
website = [http://www.cyride.com Official Website]CyRide is a
partnership betweenIowa State University andAmes, Iowa . Cyride provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames. The word CyRide is a combination of the two words; Cyclone (which is themascot of theIowa State Cyclones ) and the word ride.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. [ [http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/dinkey/dinkey_photos.htm Ames & College Railway Dinkey ] ]
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 convert|2|mi|km|sing=on trip to theIowa State University campus. [ [http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/dinkey/dinkey_photos.htm Ames & College Railway Dinkey ] ] 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 . [ [http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/dinkey/dinkey_timeline.htm Dinkey Timeline ] ] 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. [ [http://www.bournetransit.com/about.html Borne Transit ] ]Routes
Fares
;Iowa State StudentsStudents of
Iowa State University are able to ride Cyride free of charge 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.;Reduced Fare RidersTo 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 RidersFull 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 FiveChildren under the age of five are free with an accompanying adult. There may be no more than three children per adult.
Additional Services
Moonlight express
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
