JEFF TRAN buses approved for $300,000+ upgrade

The Jefferson City Council unanimously passed a bill authorizing $318,246 for improvements on JEFF TRAN buses. The upgrades include bus tracking services, voice announcements for stops, and passenger counting technology.

Mark Mehmert, director of the Transit Division, says the online and mobile services will allow users to map and plan bus routes as well as track where buses are. The application should be available for download within the next six months.

Voice announcements will also be installed for every stop, with the aim of assisting riders with visual impairments.

Lastly, motion sensors will be installed to count the number of passengers who use JEFF TRAN buses as well as track where they get on and off. This will assist in data collection and analysis.

“The greatest thing about this is going to be the user-friendliness of the system will vastly improve,” Mehmert said, “and I think that’s something our riders are looking forward to.”