Commuter lines expand with Carmel, Fishers shuttles

The Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority has announced fares for a new reverse-commute shuttle-bus service from park-and-ride lots in Carmel and Fishers.

Each one-way trip will cost $3, or $1 for riders with a valid, stamped IndyGo transfer pass issued the same day.

Officials recently announced the reverse routes will begin next Monday.

The routes will originate in downtown Indianapolis at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Ohio streets and head to the park-and-ride lots at the Carmel Meijer and at 106th and Lantern Road in Fishers. Riders will transfer to shuttles that will transport them to more than two-dozen destinations.

For the last several years, CIRTA has coordinated the Indy Express bus service running between destinations downtown and parking lots in Carmel and Fishers. Buses are operated by Lousville-based Miller Transportation under a contract with CIRTA.

Ridership, at $5 per one-way trip, has ebbed and flowed over the year along with the price of gasoline.

CIRTA received federal grants to extend service from the two park-and-ride lots with shuttles to key employers in Hamilton County that rely on workers from Marion County.

From Fishers, the reverse commute shuttles will travel to Sallie Mae, Forum Credit Union, Kroger, Marsh, Target , Exit 5 Business Park. Wiley Publishing, ADT, Freedom Mortgage, Roche, Walmart, Meijer, and North by Northeast Boulevard.

From Carmel, the shuttles will connect to Adesa., Clay Terrace, Experian, Walmart, Marsh, Kroger, Allied Solutions, CNO, Guilford & 116th, Meridian Mark, IU Health, St. Vincent Health and Delta Faucet.

“IU Health North Hospital has several associates who live downtown and commute to Carmel each day, “ said Jonathan Goble, president and CEO of IU Health North.

Goble said the shuttle service should also help attract additional job candidates from Indianapolis.

CIRTA did not reveal plans for a planned Hendricks County route.