V-Line (bus)
Encyclopedia
The V-Line is the local bus
operation in Valparaiso
, Indiana
. Service began on October 1, 2007 making Valparaiso one of the smallest cities in the United States to have its own independent public transit system.
. Commuters within the city also use it, but it is secondary to personal vehicles as a mode of transit.
The system consists of 104 stops along 4 lines. The Green Line, Yellow Line, and Brown Line operate in the city of Valparaiso on weekdays and weekends. These three lines run as "flexible fixed" routes, meaning they have standard, scheduled stops which can be altered en route to meet the needs of those who cannot otherwise reach the bus. The fourth line, the Orange Line, operates express between Valparaiso University's student center and the Dune Park
South Shore rail
on Fridays-Sundays when Valparaiso University is in session and Fridays-Saturdays during the summer. The line does not operate when NICTD conducts track and canatary repairs. On May 18, 2009, V-Line introduced a shuttle service that runs from Dune Park station to Valparaiso’s Village Station on weekdays during evenings as a way to supplement ChicaGo Dash
bus service. However, that service was eliminated on February 1, 2010 due to low ridership.
The system was started using a $615,000 federal grant. Until early 2008, the system used rented buses 16-24 person capacity minibus
es. In Jan. 2008, new buses of similar capacity were delivered. A standard one-way fare costs $1.00 with one free transfer. Passengers are expressly forbidden from using the transfer on the same route. Senior citizens, children 5-18, and the disabled ride for half price. Young children (under age 4) and Valparaiso University students ride for free.
In addition to introducing the Red Line, V-Line rearranged the schedules for the other routes. For Orange Line, the fall-spring Friday and Saturday service was truncated from 1:00 AM to 10:20 PM and 10:00 PM, respectively. As the result, Saturday and Sunday schedules became identical. By contrast, Yellow and Green Line route schedules were extended, running an hour later then before. Brown Line route was expanded, adding service to Ivy Tech and the Valparaiso Walk shopping complex.
After South Shore Line adjusted it's weekend schedule on November 22, 2009, V-Line adjusted Orange Line and Red Line weekend schedules. Orange Line route's service hours shifted, running between 9:15 AM and 11:05 PM. The wait times at Dune Park station were shifted to allow the bus to connect to both eastbound and westbound trains (something that the previous version of the schedule rarely allowed). Red Line's service hours were shifted and extended - it now started at 8:15 AM rather than 7:45 AM and ended at 11:55 PM rather than 10:35 PM. The decrease in the number of weekend trains allowed Valparaiso officials to increase Red Line's service frequencies during morning and evening hours.
On December 3, 2009, V-Line General Manager Ryan Landers stated that system ridership was down for all lines. He also explained that while Red Line ridership was climbing, it was still significantly below the numbers for other routes, remaining in double digits. Landers explained that he would like to keep the Red Line running for another six months - if the ridership doesn't pick up significantly, he will be forced to shut it down. Finally, he noted that while he would like to buy more vehicles in order to allow for shorter headways, the system can't afford them as of this writing.
On May 15, 2010, the V-Line summer schedule was altered. Whereas before, Brown Line route was shut down while Orange Line route continued operating at reduced hours, this time around Orange, Brown and Red routes were completely shut down for the entire duration of the summer schedule.
In the spring of 2010, the City of Valparaiso expressed it's desire to consolidate operations of V-Line and ChicaGo Dash
, bringing both systems under the same operator by Fall 2010, when the current contracts expire. It was hoped that consolidation would save money. Ultimately, though, the city decided to switch to a new contractor for V-Line and leave ChicaGo Dash as is. The city is also considering revamping the current routes, but no clear plans have been announced at this time.
In May 2011, the city of Valparaiso considered altering the schedule the same way as the previous summer. However, the feedback from the riders convinced it to merely cut the Brown Line route for the summer and leave Orange Line and Red Line routes as is. In addition, the Green Line, Yellow Line and Red Line routes were temporarily altered to make up for the gaps in service that resulted from the suspension of the Brown Line route.
Future expansion calls for weekday commuter service to Dune Park and additional service in downtown Valparaiso. The city of Valparaiso is also considering consolidating its services with Northwest Indiana Regional Transit Authority, but those talks are in preliminary states as of October 2010.
In addition to regular routes, V-Line occasionally provides shuttle services to various events throughout the region. For example, it provided a shuttle service to the 2008 Porter County Fair
and a special Blue Line service to the 2010 Popcorn Festival.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
operation in Valparaiso
Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2010 census, making it the 2nd largest city in Porter County.-History:...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. Service began on October 1, 2007 making Valparaiso one of the smallest cities in the United States to have its own independent public transit system.
Operations
The V-line was originally operated by McDonald Transit, a national transit operator primarily serving universities. Ride Right took over the operations on Fall 2010. In Valparaiso, the bus mostly serves the elderly and students of Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
. Commuters within the city also use it, but it is secondary to personal vehicles as a mode of transit.
The system consists of 104 stops along 4 lines. The Green Line, Yellow Line, and Brown Line operate in the city of Valparaiso on weekdays and weekends. These three lines run as "flexible fixed" routes, meaning they have standard, scheduled stops which can be altered en route to meet the needs of those who cannot otherwise reach the bus. The fourth line, the Orange Line, operates express between Valparaiso University's student center and the Dune Park
Dune Park (NICTD)
Dune Park is a station in unincorporated Porter County, Indiana located north of the municipalities of Chesterton and Porter. It is used by South Shore Line trains, and serves as the headquarters of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District , the umbrella agency that operates the South...
South Shore rail
South Shore Line (NICTD)
The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana...
on Fridays-Sundays when Valparaiso University is in session and Fridays-Saturdays during the summer. The line does not operate when NICTD conducts track and canatary repairs. On May 18, 2009, V-Line introduced a shuttle service that runs from Dune Park station to Valparaiso’s Village Station on weekdays during evenings as a way to supplement ChicaGo Dash
ChicaGo Dash
ChicaGo Dash is an express bus service between Chicago and Valparaiso. It is jointly run by the city of Valparaiso and the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission, with substantial financial support from the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority...
bus service. However, that service was eliminated on February 1, 2010 due to low ridership.
The system was started using a $615,000 federal grant. Until early 2008, the system used rented buses 16-24 person capacity minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es. In Jan. 2008, new buses of similar capacity were delivered. A standard one-way fare costs $1.00 with one free transfer. Passengers are expressly forbidden from using the transfer on the same route. Senior citizens, children 5-18, and the disabled ride for half price. Young children (under age 4) and Valparaiso University students ride for free.
History of Service Changes
In August 2009, Valparaiso officials announced a series of changes that went into effect in the end of the month. First and foremost, V-Line gained a new Red Line route, which began service August 28, 2009. It is essentially an alternate version of the Orange Line route - the buses that would previously sit idle during the scheduling breaks now travel around the city, overlapping with Green Line, Yellow Line and Brown Line buses. During Sundays, it serves as an alternative to Yellow and Green Line routes, which don't operate on the first days of the week. The Red Line route is added on experimental basis for three months - if it does well, it will be made permanent.In addition to introducing the Red Line, V-Line rearranged the schedules for the other routes. For Orange Line, the fall-spring Friday and Saturday service was truncated from 1:00 AM to 10:20 PM and 10:00 PM, respectively. As the result, Saturday and Sunday schedules became identical. By contrast, Yellow and Green Line route schedules were extended, running an hour later then before. Brown Line route was expanded, adding service to Ivy Tech and the Valparaiso Walk shopping complex.
After South Shore Line adjusted it's weekend schedule on November 22, 2009, V-Line adjusted Orange Line and Red Line weekend schedules. Orange Line route's service hours shifted, running between 9:15 AM and 11:05 PM. The wait times at Dune Park station were shifted to allow the bus to connect to both eastbound and westbound trains (something that the previous version of the schedule rarely allowed). Red Line's service hours were shifted and extended - it now started at 8:15 AM rather than 7:45 AM and ended at 11:55 PM rather than 10:35 PM. The decrease in the number of weekend trains allowed Valparaiso officials to increase Red Line's service frequencies during morning and evening hours.
On December 3, 2009, V-Line General Manager Ryan Landers stated that system ridership was down for all lines. He also explained that while Red Line ridership was climbing, it was still significantly below the numbers for other routes, remaining in double digits. Landers explained that he would like to keep the Red Line running for another six months - if the ridership doesn't pick up significantly, he will be forced to shut it down. Finally, he noted that while he would like to buy more vehicles in order to allow for shorter headways, the system can't afford them as of this writing.
On May 15, 2010, the V-Line summer schedule was altered. Whereas before, Brown Line route was shut down while Orange Line route continued operating at reduced hours, this time around Orange, Brown and Red routes were completely shut down for the entire duration of the summer schedule.
In the spring of 2010, the City of Valparaiso expressed it's desire to consolidate operations of V-Line and ChicaGo Dash
ChicaGo Dash
ChicaGo Dash is an express bus service between Chicago and Valparaiso. It is jointly run by the city of Valparaiso and the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commission, with substantial financial support from the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority...
, bringing both systems under the same operator by Fall 2010, when the current contracts expire. It was hoped that consolidation would save money. Ultimately, though, the city decided to switch to a new contractor for V-Line and leave ChicaGo Dash as is. The city is also considering revamping the current routes, but no clear plans have been announced at this time.
In May 2011, the city of Valparaiso considered altering the schedule the same way as the previous summer. However, the feedback from the riders convinced it to merely cut the Brown Line route for the summer and leave Orange Line and Red Line routes as is. In addition, the Green Line, Yellow Line and Red Line routes were temporarily altered to make up for the gaps in service that resulted from the suspension of the Brown Line route.
Future expansion calls for weekday commuter service to Dune Park and additional service in downtown Valparaiso. The city of Valparaiso is also considering consolidating its services with Northwest Indiana Regional Transit Authority, but those talks are in preliminary states as of October 2010.
Routes
- Green Line - Technical Center to Porter's Vale to Vale Park Rd.
- Yellow Line - Andover Plaza to Downtown to Bullseye Lake Rd.
- Brown Line - Porter's Vale to Valparaiso Marketplace to Downtown
- Orange Line - Dune Park Station to Downtown
- Red Line - Bullseye Lake Road to Downtown to Vale Park Rd.
In addition to regular routes, V-Line occasionally provides shuttle services to various events throughout the region. For example, it provided a shuttle service to the 2008 Porter County Fair
and a special Blue Line service to the 2010 Popcorn Festival.
2008
| Month | Total | Yellow Line | Green Line | Brown Line | Orange Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| February | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 377 |
| March | 3,133 | 1,116 | 1,136 | 638 | 243 |
| April | 4,085 | 1,207 | 1,178 | 1,405 | 295 |
| May | 3,585 | 1,350 | 1,288 | 769 | 178 |
| June | n/a | n/a | n/a | -- | n/a |
| July | n/a | n/a | n/a | -- | n/a |
| August | 4,819 | 1,843 | 2,039 | 734 | 203 |
| September | 6,512 | 1,738 | 1,543 | 2,744 | 487 |
| October | 7,023 | 2,045 | 1,875 | 2,527 | 576 |
| November | 5,822 | 1,745 | 1,567 | 1,941 | 569 |
| December | 5,389 | 1,615 | 1,727 | 1,858 | 189 |
2009
| Month | Total | Yellow Line | Green Line | Brown Line | Orange Line | Red Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6,412 | 1,801 | 2,034 | 2,235 | 342 | -- |
| February | 6,307 | 1,627 | 1,849 | 2,383 | 403 | -- |
| March | 5,683 | 2,135 | 2,104 | 1,158 | 285 | -- |
| April | 6,320 | 1,956 | 1,847 | 2,164 | 535 | -- |
| May | 4,964 | 1,924 | 1,925 | 910 | 205 | -- |
| June | 4,224 | 2,090 | 2,069 | -- | 65 | -- |
| July | 4,089 | 1,896 | 2,120 | -- | 73 | -- |
| August | n/a | 1,919 | 2,119 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| September | 5,570 | 1,850 | 1,985 | 1,421 | 261 | 53 |
| October | 5,885 | app 2,000 | app 2,000 | 1,372 | 350 | 44 |
| November | 5,030 | app 1,900 | app 1,900 | 857 | 309 | 56 |
| December | 4,640 | 1,656 | 1,865 | 859 | 211 | 49 |
2010
| Month | Total | Yellow Line | Green Line | Brown Line | Orange Line | Red Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5,525 | 1,801 | 1,789 | 1,563 | 234 | 37 |
| February | 5,672 | 1,890 | 2,019 | 1,376 | 333 | 54 |
| March | 5,741 | 2,396 | 2,460 | 712 | 148 | 35 |
| April | 5,965 | 2,356 | 2,290 | 1,039 | 218 | 62 |
| May | 4,323 | 1,969 | 1,807 | 461 | 61 | 25 |
| June | n/a | n/a | n/a | -- | -- | -- |
| July | n/a | n/a | n/a | -- | -- | -- |
| August | 6,262 | 2,498 | 2,578 | 1,103 | 51 | 32 |
| September | 7,238 | 2,356 | 2,343 | 2,115 | 298 | 126 |
| October | 7,486 | 2,550 | 2,327 | 2,108 | 338 | 163 |
| November | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| December | 6,770 | 2,621 | 2,332 | 1,483 | 186 | 148 |
2011
| Month | Total | Yellow Line | Green Line | Brown Line | Orange Line | Red Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8,136 | 2,927 | 2,410 | 2,290 | 359 | 150 |
| February | 7,088 | 2,734 | 2,203 | 1,632 | 341 | 178 |
| March | 7,791 | 3,131 | 2,734 | 1,433 | 320 | 173 |
| April | 7,162 | 2,570 | 2,391 | 1,582 | 404 | 177 |