Carmel asking residents about the need for public transit options

CARMEL — If you want to travel around Carmel, you most likely use a car to do so. The city is now thinking about expanding options for residents who can not or will not drive.

Carmel is asking residents how they move through the city with a transportation and mobility survey. The survey closes on February 21 and has questions related to transit access and reliability.

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Hamilton County only has one public transit option: Hamilton County Express, an on-demand shuttle service for all Hamilton County residents operated by the non-profit Janus Developmental Services.

"A lot of people don't know that we exist," said Hamilton County Express transportation director Ashley Fluellen.

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"It's probably the least efficient form of transit, but that's all we have," said Carmel Department of Community Services Director Mike Hollibaugh.

Unlike a traditional bus service, Hamilton County Express riders need to make arrangements in advance for their trips.

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"We would like for you to make the reservation two weeks in advance as opposed to a fixed-route service like IndyGo where you don't have to make a reservation," Fluellen said.

According to Fluellen, Hamilton County Express made 76,061 rides in 2024. That is an increase from 2023, when the agency completed 62,514 trips. In comparison, IndyGo's Red Line often completes about 75,000 rides every month.

She said the increase shows there is a demand for public transit in Hamilton County.

"They don't have to pay astronomical amounts of money on gas, they can utilize this service if they want to," Fluellen said.

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Carmel now has more than 100,000 residents. It is Indiana's 5th-largest city and has nearly the same population as South Bend.