FastCAT, the new Columbia city transit plan made its debut Aug. 13. The plan, which will run through MU and the downtown area, is designed to transport students in high-traffic areas of the city.
FastCAT was designed earlier this summer with the help of Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid.
The plan grew to fruition in May when McDavid visited similar bus route systems in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. He noticed the success rates of these programs and insisted on providing a speedy service, said John Glascock, general manager of the Columbia Public Works Department.
“The route was designed to pick up students at student housing,” he said.
A report released by the Public Works Committee on Aug. 6 reported FastCAT’s annual costs at $425,000.
The FastCAT fee for individuals is $100 per semester. For student housing and apartment complexes, students are encouraged to buy tickets in groups of 20 for a fee of $62.50 per semester.
“It’s a reasonable cost (for) the service,” Glascock said.
For the first two weeks of the new program, the cost to ride is free. This execution is part of an effort to see how efficient the system is and understand its ridership rates.
The bus has 11 scheduled stops, five of which run through MU to provide services for Greektown and other largely populated areas.
The bus runs from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. The service runs from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday. The bus runs from 9:50 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Saturday and from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.