DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — After a rebranding during a difficult economy for commuters, a rural public transportation service is seeing more ridership than ever before.
The Blue Grass Community Action Partnership (BGCAP) re-launched its local and regional bus services in Danville, Nicholasville and Georgetown in recent years, now knows as "Bluegrass Ride."
The service provides free routes in each town, allowing commuters to get to work, go grocery shopping, and head to doctors' appointments, all without charge.
The grant-funded program has seen immense growth in the last two years, with ridership in Danville jumping from 476 rides in October 2022 to 3,489 rides in October 2024.
Taylor Veatch, senior director of transportation services for BGCAP, credits part of that growth to economic reasons, as well as more awareness of the service.
"There are a lot of people that we've never seen before that are riding regularly," Veatch said.
In Danville, Bluegrass Ride offers three different routes, with stops once per hour, during hours of operation Monday through Saturday.
Veatch explained the free service can make a big impact on people who do not have a reliable vehicle of their own.
"They can get to a job, they can get their groceries. They don't have to rely on family members," Veatch said.
Regular riders, like Levi Daugherty, rely on the service to get to work on a daily basis. Daugherty said it has greatly benefited him financially.
"Without it, I think a lot of people would be out of a job, and out of hobbies, honestly," he said. "Everyone knows how much car payments are these days. How much gas has skyrocketed, or how much it fluctuates."
AAA recently reported that the average cost to own and operate a new vehicle is $12,297 per year, an increase of over $100 from the year before. The increasing cost is forcing some to rely on public transportation.
For passengers who need to go outside of town, Bluegrass Ride also offers regional routes, which connect to Lexington for $5, allowing passengers to access options like LexTran.
You can learn more about Bluegrass Ride, as well as routes and schedules, on the Bluegrass Ride website.
