Connect Transit is excited to announce the launch of their new service – Connect FLEX on Sunday, July 16! To celebrate, Connect Transit will be hosting a kick-off event on Monday, July 17 at 10 a.m. at Ferrero’s Beich Road facility. The kick-off event will feature remarks from several speakers, a demonstration of the ride booking app, and a close-up look at the new service vehicles.
Connect FLEX is an on-demand service scheduled by using a smartphone app that provides flexible routing based on passenger demand within a defined zone. This service will serve the southwest portion of Bloomington-Normal, as shown. Connect FLEX will not initially require a fare, to encourage the community to book a ride!
Booking rides with Connect FLEX will be simple. The best way to schedule is to download the “Connect Transit App” from your app store. People who don’t have a smartphone can also book their trip by calling 309-828-9833. The app will let the user select their pickup and drop off locations and pick the most convenient option provided. The app will show detailed directions to the closest pickup location (typically at a safe street corner) and an estimated pickup time. Once the user is picked up, the app will provide an estimated time of arrival.
The hours of operation will complement our current fixed route schedules by starting slightly before and running slightly longer to allow connections to be made. This will help people utilizing the fixed route make it back to their destination before our service finishes for the night. Connect FLEX’s hours of operations are:
Monday – Friday: 5:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Saturday: 5:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Sunday: 5:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
If you are interested in getting a preview of the service, please reach out to schedule a demonstration.
