-----Original Message-----
From: Whaley, Tim
Sent: Fri 3/30/2012 1:43 PM
To: TimWhaley@KingsportTn.gov
Subject: KATS launches new bus Route6: Announces service to Colonial Heights, Johnson City via NET Trans Red Route 3X
For Immediate Release March 30, 2012
COMMUNITY & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
225 West Center Street v Kingsport, TN 37660 v 423-229-9413 v 423-229-9350 fax
TimWhaley@KingsportTn.gov v www.KingsportTn.gov <http://www.kingsporttn.gov/>
KATS launches new Route 6
Announces service to Colonial Heights, Johnson City via NET Trans Red Route 3X
KINGSPORT - The Kingsport Area Transit System will launch a new Route 6 on Monday, April 2nd, 2012 serving the west side of Kingsport, while also commencing operation of a new connector service between downtown Kingsport, Colonial Heights and Johnson City via NET Trans Red Route 3X service.
KATS has seen dramatic monthly ridership growth, from 4,954 riders in February 2010 to 10,848 riders in February 2012, and is please to expand service again by offering Route 6 and the new partnership with NET Trans.
KATS Route 6 will serve the Downtown Food City, Ridgefield Circle, Netherland Inn, Allandale Mansion, Allandale Apartments and the West Stone Drive Wal-Mart while also providing a new linkage to the Riverwalk-end of the Greenbelt.
"We're pleased with the dramatic growth in ridership we have realized in the last couple of years since undertaking a top-to-bottom review of the Transit Service, with our staff doing an excellent job of executing improvements to the service," City Manager John Campbell said Friday. "With Route 6 and the new Red Route 3X inter-city service to Colonial Heights and Johnson City, we feel we are making serious headway in the effort to provide meaningful and affordable alternatives to the personal automobile. And certainly, this service would not be possible without the support of NET Trans Director Tim Jaynes and the First Tennessee Human Resource Agency."
KATS Route 6 service follows the same service days and hours as KATS other routes, operating Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, connecting to the NET Trans 3X route service to Johnson City can be managed by boarding at the KATS Transit Office on Clay Street and transferring buses to the NET Trans 3X route service along Ft. Henry Drive at Food City, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Ingles in Colonial Heights.
Red Route 3X route service is $5 per one-way trip, and connects to the Johnson City Transit Service at its main office in downtown Johnson City.
In addition, NET Trans will honor KATS fares including monthly passes to travel from the KATS Transit Terminal on Clay Street out to the Ingles location in Colonial Heights.
NET Trans Red Route 3X route service will be offered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:05 p.m. NET Trans will provide one free transfer into the KATS transit system for those traveling from Johnson City or the Colonial Heights area to allow them to reach their designation in Kingsport.
NET Trans will also offer a $50.00 monthly pass for unlimited trips between cities.
For more information please contact the office of the Kingsport Area Transit Service at (423) 224-2613 or online at www.kingsporttransit.org.
