On June 25, the TARC Board of Directors approved TARC moving forward to implement a redesigned New TARC network, using the framework of the TARC 2025 Enhanced Draft Plan.
The approval means TARC will implement a New TARC network in the Summer of 2026, using the TARC 2025 Enhanced Draft Plan as a guide for service levels and service standards.
This is the first of two final steps to the TARC 2025 planning process. The specific routing of the new TARC network will be determined next. Using the draft Enhanced Plan as the base, the TARC 2025 planning team will finalize each proposed route. TARC anticipates the final network map to be released later this summer.
Implementation is expected to be in August 2026. Once the new network routes are finalized, TARC will release more information on specific timing for implementation.
TARC arrived at this decision after more than 15 months of work supported by a $1.2 million federal grant. The planning process included a technical analysis of the system, potential network options, and extensive public outreach in the Summer and Fall of 2024 and Spring of 2025. During those outreach periods, TARC staff and consultants organized 334 briefings, presentations, or events and collected more than 5,750 survey responses from Louisville region residents. More than 70 percent of survey respondents took transit within the last month.
Public and stakeholder feedback in Spring 2025 strongly endorsed the Enhanced Plan over the more constrained alternative.
The New TARC Network will serve all JCPS Magnet Schools, providing another option to access educational opportunity for many Louisville families.
Due to cost savings measures over the last year, TARC projects that it can operate this new network without any additional revenue for the next few years. But some level of additional support will still be needed long-term. If TARC cannot secure additional dedicated operating revenue before 2030, then additional service cuts may be necessary at that time.
