Buses, Bikes Keep Rolling as Public Transit Takes Off in F-M Area

The future of public transportation rolls into Fargo.

Officials got a sneak peek at a brand–new 60 foot hybrid bus that is bringing public transit to a new level.

Public transit, both two–wheeled and four–wheeled, has grown a lot in the last few years. The hope is that even more people hop on for a ride in years to come.

The bus is 60 feet of people moving power and it’s in town to show what public transportation can do.

“The Fargo–Moorhead community has really expanded its options for the way that we move, which is really exciting,” says Sara Watson Curry with Great Rides Bike Share.

Just in the last year, the LinkFM made getting around downtown easier, and cheaper, and the Great Rides Bike Share program set records for the number of riders per bike per day in its first year.

“We’re sort of the darlings in the bike share world,” adds Watson Curry.

Ridership in Fargo has increased dramatically in the last 10 years, going from 800,000 riders to 2.1 million per year.  City leaders want to use new big bad boys like this to increase ridership even more in the future.

“Instead of having two buses, you could almost carry as many with one bus, one driver,” says Fargo City Commissioner Mike Williams.

City officials aren’t resting on the past success of public transit.

Williams says, “We want to double it again.”

They say the benefits of public transit are two–fold. One, it’s cheaper, which is popular with the college crowd.

“Residents on average spend more on transportation than on housing. 27 percent on transportation. 24 percent on housing,” Williams explains. “Students have figure out, and so have others, that you can save a lot of money not having to drive every day.”

Two, it clears up traffic, letting everyone move around sooner.

Williams adds, “So when you see people taking transit, walking, or biking, give them a good wave because there’s more room on the road for you.”

So don’t be surprised if you see more buses or bikes on the roads soon.

Fargo city leaders say it’s possible the city might purchase articulated buses in the future. As for the bike share program, there is talk of expanding across the river to MSUM and Concordia in the next couple years.