Employees
BUS History
Bluegrass Ultra-transit Service (BUS) was started in 1976 by Blue Grass Community Action Partnership, Inc. as a nonprofit transit operation with a pilot project in Anderson and Franklin Counties using Community Employment Training Association (CETA) program drivers and Section 16(b)2 funded vehicles. After trying several methods of transportation to serve low income, rural, elderly and disabled residents it was determined that the need could best be served by contracting with other service agencies to provide their transportation and to provide public transportation on a prescheduled basis. In June 1979 nonprofit Bus Operating Certificate No. 1148 was granted by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. This certificate authorized the transportation of persons in Anderson, Jessamine, Mercer, Woodford Counties and Franklin County, except within the city, for Federal Urban Mass Transportation Act Section 18 funds for operational and administrative assistance. In October 1982 Boyle County was added to the operating certificate and in November 1983 Scott, Lincoln and Garrard Counties were added. In November 1986 the certificate was amended to add Casey and Washington Counties. This brought the BUS operating certificate area to the current status of eleven counties covering 2,828 square miles.
On February 10, 1988 the operating certificate was again amended to drop the medical origin and destination in to Lexington/Fayette County for the certificate allowing BUS to go into that city and county for any reason. At that time the exemption from running within the City of Frankfort was also suspended. The reason for this change in certificate was the contract with Greyhound Lines, Inc. on February 22, 1988 to provide feeder service into their existing terminals providing rural residents a link with a national transportation network. Although this contract no longer exists BUS continues to provide the same level of service to the Greyhound Terminals.
In fiscal year 1997 the operating authority was changed for the jurisdiction of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Motor Carriers to the Division of Multi-modal Programs. Through reorganization at the Transportation Cabinet level program is now funded by the Office of Transportation Delivery.
In July 1998 BUS was named the Empower Kentucky Human Services Transportation provider for Brokerage Region 8 which encompasses the eleven counties currently served. TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) transportation was started in September of that year along with Department of the Blind and Vocational Rehabilitation transportation. In March, 1999 Medicaid transportation was added to the Brokerage system. In June, 2002 TANF transportation was dropped. To date the remaining programs continue to be served by BUS through the Brokerage system.
Over the years, since the initial funding in 1980, BUS has served not only as public transportation provider but also has contracted with several other agencies to coordinate services using our Section 5310 and Section 5311 funded vehicles in the most efficient and effective method possible.