For some residents, the new public transit system that was set to launch in Franklin Monday has been a long time coming.
“People moving here each and every day, we need public transportation down here,” said resident Calvin Malone.
Malone has lived in Franklin for 30 years, he's seen the changes happening to his neighborhood and knows what's coming down the road. It's why he wants more buses.
“To be able to get across town it needs to run every 30 minutes, as bad as traffic is in Franklin we need the public transportation to run every 30 minutes,” he said. The current bus routes runs every hour.
Fortunately for Malone and other commuters they're getting what they want, 30 minute cycles.
“One of the biggest frustrations that comes with growth brings opportunities but it also brings traffic and congestion concerns,” Franklin City Administrator Eric Stuckey said.
On Monday, the city will launch it's new bus transit plan with more routes, faster service and an additional 100 stops. “This is the culmination of research over 18 months, got input from our citizens, employers, from the community overall,” said Stuckey.
That research showed more than 60 percent of current riders use the bus to get to work. With more industries eyeing the Franklin area for future growth, expanding the public transit system is just the first step in a growing direction.
“We’re in the top 20 in terms of the fastest growing cities with a population of 50,000 or more and we also are leading the country in job growth,” said Stuckey.
Learn more about the bus routes and where you can catch a ride visit on the city's website.
