IndyGo running out of office space, but board members don’t agree on fix

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13 thoughts on “IndyGo running out of office space, but board members don’t agree on fix

  1. Why not lease some of the vast outlot parking around the corner along County Line, at Greenwood Park Mall? There’s plenty of parking for Park and Ride services there.

    1. In December 2019, before the pandemic hit, the Red Line had 65,000+ passengers for the month. That’s one IndyGo employee for every 73 riders.

  2. Chew on that for a minute: “With the 2019 launch of the Red Line and other route improvements, IndyGo has swelled its staff from 627 in 2017 to 897 today.”

    So this is what that ‘transportation tax’ increase was really for – to hire 270 more employees, which in turn requires more office space as IndyGo metastasizes, and invest in more office space for even MORE staff in the future. And surely all those salaries must eventually translate into increased fares. How does this in any way help increase ridership or better serve the community?

    IndyGo is a complete disgrace, and no responsible adults are holding their feet to the fire. The article doesn’t mention it, but of those 270 new hires, I suspect the bulk are related entirely to Red Line electric bus maintenance and computer programmers and technicians – none of which would have been needed if they’d have stayed out of the electric bus business. Throw in what the Red Line buses and infrastructure cost the city on top of this proposed building purchase, and then think about how many traditional buses could have been purchased with all of this combined cash to DRAMATICALLY expand services in the neighborhoods that desperately need it. Maybe add some shorter buses to serve some less-heavily used areas currently not served. And traditional buses can be easily reassigned anywhere as needed, since there are no dedicated traffic lanes or special boarding station requirements or recharging stations to deal with.

    But no, IndyGo needs more office space in a state-of-the-art whiz bang new building. Who cares? It’s only tax money!

    1. Christopher H – Well said. It won’t be long before they will need another tax infusion from the public trough.

    2. I’d guess that the vast majority of the new employees are drivers and mechanics. At the same time as the Red Line started up, IndyGo increased frequency of service across much of the system.

      .

      More service = more buses + more drivers.

  3. The idiocy of this group is stunning. Can someone let IndyGo know that multi billion dollar companies have gone to working virtual with minimal disruption and pleasantly discovered huge cost savings? Count on Democrats in government jobs to move in the exact opposite direction. “Hey, lets buy(not lease) an overpriced Class A office building in a trendy location, so that we can hire even more idiots on the taxpayer teat”

  4. While all this may be true and that is way too many staff to have. He doesn’t have to go to the same place every day. But his school ID tracks where he is. My son has become more responsible because he has to know what bus to take where. And if he falls asleep, he can figure out what bus to get home on. Indy Go has been a major blessing for our family. It sure beats school buses. I wish more schools would use Indy Go. It makes much more sense that school buses. I do have 1 caveat. I only meant high schools. Altho school buses leave a lot to be desired.

    1. Peggy – well said. it would make to much sense to have the HS kids take indygo. something that gov’t does not have.

  5. Our income taxes were increased under the condition that Indy Go would raise roughly $6 million in private funding by 2021 for the agency’s operations, as required under state legislation passed in 2014.
    Indy Go did not start soliciting funds until Feb. 2020 – that is 6 years of ignoring their commitment. The lack of accountability by the Indy Go Board and our politicians is stunning.

    The electric buses it purchased have not been able to live up to the manufacturer’s promise of going the distance on a single charge. There have been problems with technology, the payment system, and a shortage of bus drivers causing buses to run significantly later and less reliably than promised. This is sheer incompetence by those running the organization.

    During this same time period, they have added 270 employees – an increase of 43%. Now they want to increase their capital expenditures by purchasing more real estate.

    There is not one private business that would be allowed to operate like this. In the real world you have to run an efficient organization, and show growth and income before you hire people and expand.

    This ineptness should not be acceptable to the public.

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