CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -
The Regional Transportation Authority began operating an express bus services from Clarksville on Friday morning.
Clarksville resident Jennifer Hough was among the more than three dozen riders that took advantage of the first ride.
"I use to live in Nashville and I rode the bus all the time and now I'm up in Clarksville, this is amazing," Hough told Nashville's News 2.
She said she is thrilled with the express bus service, especially when she noticed how much her commute to work in Nashville cost her on a daily basis.
"I'm spending basically like $17 to $20 a day just driving to work," she explained.
Now with the new express bus service, her daily round trip will be cut to $8, saving her more than $40 per week.
"It's pretty great. It's pretty great to relax and drink my coffee and not have to worry about driving in traffic and people cutting me off and you know, not using their blinkers and I can just be relaxed when I get to work," Hough said.
The cost to ride the express bus is $4 per ride, or passengers can purchase a 20 ride express pass for $70.
All of the buses are equipped with restrooms and televisions and can accommodate up to 54 passengers.
Buses depart weekdays from the Clarksville Rossview Road Park-N-Ride at 5:52 a.m. and 6:50 a.m. and arrive at Music City Central in downtown Nashville at 6:45 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.
Afternoon buses depart Bay 13 at Music City Central at 4:10 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. and arrive at the Clarksville Rossview Road Park-N-Ride at 5:05 p.m. and 5:55 p.m.
The Clarksville Transit System (CTS) will provide local bus service to and from the RTA Park-N-Ride serving the route.
For more information on CTS service, call 931-553-2429.
Nashville residents who work in Clarksville also can utilize the new service.
A bus departs MCC Bay 13 at 5:45 a.m. and arrives at the Clarksville Rossview Road Park-N-Ride at 6:40 a.m.
In the afternoon, a bus departs the Clarksville Rossview Road Park-N-Ride at 5:15 p.m. and arrives at MCC in downtown Nashville at 6:10 p.m.
Funding for the route was awarded through a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant.
The city of Clarksville and the Tennessee Department of Transportation are providing the local match.
Currently, there are five other RTA regional bus routes in the Middle Tennessee area with express service to Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner and Williamson counties.
