NEW ALBANY — Local officials said they regret to see any cuts made to public transportation, but believe the new bus route schedule implemented by TARC this week will mainly just require time for adjustment for transit system users.

Three Southern Indiana routes were discontinued as of Sunday by the Transit Authority of River City, or TARC, with a new major route added connecting points in New Albany, Clarksville and Jeffersonville.  

The new system actually increases the total amount of service in Southern Indiana and is designed to accommodate shifts in employment and population, according to TARC.

“We believe this system will improve access to major destinations while continuing to provide cross-river trips to downtown Louisville and major transfer points,” TARC Executive Director J. Barry Barker said in a statement on the Southern Indiana route changes.

The new Southern Indiana route No. 82,  travels from Knobs View Apartments off State Street in New Albany to the Meijer complex off Holmans Lane in Jeffersonville.

When the proposed service changes were initially made, Lisa Donohue, senior case manager for the New Albany Housing Authority’s Family Self Sufficiency program, worried the cuts would dramatically affect lower-income workers who depend on TARC to get to and from their jobs.

After reviewing more than 800 comments garnered during public meetings regarding their initial change of service plans, TARC adopted a new plan June 25.

According to TARC, the service changes were made based on a review of public comments, user frequency and budget considerations.

“I’m concerned that our people can get to work, but I’ve had good communication with TARC” about the changes of service, Donohue said Thursday.

After reviewing the new route added by TARC to service Southern Indiana, Donohue said she’s more comfortable with the service schedule.

“But there’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment period,” she added.

The routes cut were the No. 65x-Southern Indiana Express, the No. 73x-Charlestown Road Express and the No. 74-Jeffersonville Park and Ride.

Not only do many workers depend on TARC for transportation, but their employers also rely on the bus service to ensure employees will arrive to complete their daily tasks, New Albany Housing Authority Executive Director Bob Lane said.

“For low-income people, transportation is a critical link,” Lane said. “And when a person is not able to get to work, not able to provide for their family, it hurts in trying to break the cycle.”

And the goal of the housing authority is to transform residents from relying on public assistance to becoming home owners, Lane said. Education attainment, employment and availability of transportation are among the most important factors that determine whether public housing residents can ultimately change the direction of their lives, Lane said.

The housing authority doesn’t offer bus service to areas of New Albany near prime employers, but the organization will consider such an option in the future, Lane said.

He added it would likely require grants to fund a bus service for public housing residents. Lane also said he understands that TARC faced a “budget crunch” and had to adjust service.

“I guess we all need to find alternatives so that people that are trying to break the cycle of poverty have a way of getting to the job so that they can provide resources for their families,” he said.