Bismarck Launches Fixed-Route Bus Service

CAT is roaming the streets of Bismarck-Mandan. After more than three years of planning, Capital Area Transit (CAT) fixed-route bus service launched with a grand opening and ribbon cutting May 6.

"Everything's been going smoothly. We've had a lot of people out riding," said Robin Werre, executive director of Bis-Man Transit, after the first week of operation. The only problems have been a few missed turns by drivers learning their routes and a run of interest that depleted the organization's supply of 5,000 route maps. "Those maps were gone in a heartbeat," Werre says, indicating the level of interest in the new service. A second printing of 5,000 maps was also distributed in less than a day.

Dave Sprynczynatyk, Director, North Dakota
Department of Transportation

Werre says Bis-Man Transit has operated a demandresponse transit service for 13 years. "As studies indicated a need for a fixed-route service, we've worked on planning and funding. The funding is a mix of federal and local dollars including a one mill increase in local property taxes." The agency is hoping for additional funding when the federal transportation bill is approved.

Bismarck Mayor, Dr. John Warford cuts the ribbon.
Seated from left to right are Jeannie Pederson,
president of Bis-Man Transit board of directors; Robin
Werre, director of Bis-Man Transit.

CAT has six buses operating on 11 routes: six main routes, four alternates and a circulator that runs between Bismarck's two malls. For the rest of May and June, CAT is not charging fares to encourage ridership and help residents become familiar with the service.

CAT operates out of a central transit center in Bismarck that also serves as the headquarters for the demand-response system and the rural transit system. Bis-Man Transit contracts with Taxi 9000 to operate both the demand response system and CAT. Rural transit is provided by West River Transportation Council. The Bismarck depot for Greyhound is also located in the building.

The building, built in 1998, includes maintenance bays, wash bays and a bus storage area. The storage area was expanded to accommodate CAT's new buses. "The facility works great for us. It puts all of our transitrelated operations for the area in one spot," Werre says.