KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Area Transit's "KAT Reimagined" plan passed on Wednesday. The plan will phase out the free downtown trolley system, and include a downtown connector with a possible fare.
KAT says they are working on ways to waive this fare. The plan includes reworking bus routes so buses will make fewer stops and decrease wait times. It also means people will walk farther to their destinations.
Hubert Smith worked in the public transit sphere for many years and has concerns about the new plan without trolleys.
"For the most part, I think the trolley part is bad," Smith said. "I think it serves a role that the commissioners on the board are unaware of. And that is the thing the drivers do. They're great ambassadors for downtown. "
The Crowne Plaza Hotel has a trolley stop right in front of its lobby.
"I just hope it doesn't have an impact on our on our tourism business," said Ken Knight, the General Manager of the Crowne Plaza. "It's something that we promote heavily to our customers. And they take great advantage of it."
The new plan, while providing buses more often, also means more walking. Smith has concerns for those with less mobility.
"We have residents downtown that live up at Summit Towers off of Locust Street," Smith said. "These are elderly people, disabled people. No other transit comes up there."
KAT says their new plan will help people get to work. The new plan says that they've increased coverage for 45-minute commutes by 19% for the average Knoxville resident. Those numbers increase to 24% for those with low incomes and 26% for minorities.