JULE (THE)

Jule logo

JULE (THE). The Jule, formerly known as KeyLine Transit, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Dubuque, Iowa. The reorganization of the public transit system was one of the goals of the city council to make Dubuque more sustainable. The bus fleet was outdated, oversized, and did not make it convenient for most citizens to ride. (1)

The City and East Central Intergovernmental Association secured $3.8 million in funding from the U. S. Department of Transportation to replace the bus fleet. During the time the fleet was being replaced, routes and ridership trends were studied. Increased fuel efficiency and decreased operational costs were made high priorities. The new buses delivered to Dubuque in 2011 were diesel powered and were expected to save the City $250,000 annually in maintenance costs. They were also better sized so that nearly empty buses were not traveling the STREETS. (2)

Choosing buses that were environmentally "clean" was a top priority. The new buses were expected to save .67 tons of particulate matter (dust and soot) annually and 514 tons of carbon monoxide emissions. This affected the environment locally and future economic development. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitored air quality. Cities with high levels of pollutants were classified as "Nonattainment," a titled with limited new private sector and transportation development. (3)

Ridership of city buses was up 8% in 2012. (4)

The Jule offered transit bus routes throughout the city, trolley-replica transportation in Downtown Dubuque and the Port of Dubuque, and on-demand paratransit "MiniBus" service citywide. The transit system and city were both named after Julien DUBUQUE.

The Jule was a municipal department of the City of Dubuque that began service following the city's takeover of the INTERSTATE POWER COMPANY bus lines in the early 1970s. The Jule was operated by The East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA), supervised by a director who reported to the Dubuque City Manager, Michael VAN MILLIGEN, and acted on policy established by the Dubuque City Council on advice of the Dubuque Transit Trustee Board.

The Jule operated 4 bus lines: Gray, Green, Red and the Medical Loop. All lines ran in a general pattern from downtown in the east to KENNEDY MALL in the west, and then back downtown. These lines stopped at all three major transfer stations: Downtown, Midtown, and the West Side. The Medical Loop ran from downtown and then north and south, stopping at no other transfer stations. The Jule operated Monday-Saturday citywide, with the earliest buses out at 6:15 a.m., and the latest out at 5:55 p.m.[2]

During the summer months, The Jule operated a trolley shuttle between the Downtown Transfer Station (West 9th & Main Streets) and the Port of Dubuque, with stopped at the major tourist attractions in the area, including: DIAMOND JO CASINO, Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark, Grand River Center, NATIONAL MISSISSIPPI RIVER MUSEUM AND AQUARIUM.

In addition to fixed-route buses, The Jule provided on-demand paratransit service through its "MiniBuses." These shuttles generally transported elderly & handicapped passengers from their homes to medical clinics and other specific destinations. The service was available by appointment only.

In 2014 Jule's Crosstown Express Service, west-end "Shopping Circulator" routes, Nightrider evening service, and new service along Jackson Street to Terrace Heights in addition to partnerships with CLARKE UNIVERSITY, LORAS COLLEGE, and the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE led to a 7% increase in ridership over last year. (5)

In 2016 the Nightrider bus operated from 6:00 p.m. to 2:40 a.m. every Friday and Saturday during the school year and from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the same nights during the summer. Dubuque students rode free and buses were open to the general public at the standard rates. The route provided service every thirty minutes at to West End of Dubuque, downtown shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities and destinations on the North End of town. University staff and students felt the free access to the buses increased student safety by reducing late-night driving and long walks. The service began in 2012 and was supported by an Iowa Department of Public Transportation grant that ended in the spring of 2016. Under a new agreement beginning on July 1, 2016 LORAS COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE, and CLARKE UNIVERSITY would increase their payment for the service from 24% ($11,000) to 75% with the share based on the proportion of students from each institution using the service. Ridership had grown from 4,200 students in 2013 to over 24,200 for 2016. Based on ridership, the University of Dubuque would pay $35,500, Loras would contribute $29,800 and Clarke would add $18,980. The city's contribution would be $21,070 for the 2017 fiscal year. (6)

Prior to August 1, 2016, students were permitted to ride Jule buses for free simply be showing their school identification. (7) The Dubuque City Council agreed to start charging middle school students to ride city buses in response to complaints that "mobs" of unruly teens made other bus riders uncomfortable. The Transit Advisory Board recommended the fare in an effort to deter students from riding short distances just for the sake of riding. (7) Students younger than eleven could obtain a free swipe card. Students between the ages of 11 to 18 had to purchase an annual pass for ten dollars or pay 75 cents per ride--the standard half fare--by showing a school ID. Jule officials found within a month that youth ridership fell when the amount of youth bus transfers increased. This indicated that the students riding were actually using the bus as public transportation and not just to fill it up. (8)

Under the new plan, students younger than 11-years-old would continue to ride for free but they would need to get a swipe card to better monitor their use. Students between the ages of 11 and 18 would need purchase $10 annual bus passes or pay 75 cents per ride. (9)

With the beginning of evening bus service in the fall of 2017, Jule introduced "bus stopper," reflective cylinders attached to bus stop signs used to signal a bus driver at night. A potential passenger moved a handle on the cylinder up and down to alert drivers to their presence. The city purchased twenty-five of the devices at $60.00 each as part of a pilot program to test their effectiveness. The city also installed solar-powered lights and benches in low-lit areas or where there was a high percentage of disabled or elderly riders. (10)

In mid-August the city extended service hours to 9:00 pm. to weekdays. Ridership reached to over 3,200 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in comparison to an estimated 500 previously. (11)

The City of Dubuque received $1.9 million in federal funds to purchase new handicapped-accessible buses. The announcement in September, 2018 the new buses would include new ramps rather than lifts and fare-collection systems. The 30-foot buses replaced nine lift-equipped which were experiencing engine problems. Riders needing assistance entering and leaving buses would be invited to use the minibus service. The new buses would each seat up to 28 passengers. The new buses were set to begin service in June 2020. (12)

Source

1. Burbach, Cori. "Investing in Public Transit: A Triple Bottom Line," Julien's Journal, April 2012, p. 48

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. "Jule Transit Sees 30,000 Ride Increase Over Last Year," Julien's Journal, September 2014, p. 69

6. Barton, Thomas J. "Colleges to Keep Late-Night Buses Rolling," Telegraph Herald, July 16, 2016, p. 3A

7. "City of Dubuque Will Charge Middle School Students to Ride Bus," KWWL.com. Online: http://www.kwwl.com/story/32169340/2016/06/07/city-of-dubuque-will-charge-middle-school-students-to-ride-bus

8. Barton, Thomas J. "Youth Bus Fares Curb Misbehavior on Jule," Telegraph Herald, November 7, 2016, p. 1

9. Ibid.

10. Barton, Thomas J. "Jule Devices Aim to Aid Evening Riders," Telegraph Herald, November 4, 2017, p. 5A

11. Ibid.

12. Jacobson, Ben, "Dubuque Lands Nearly $12 Million to Purchase Accessible Buses," Telegraph Herald, September 26, 2018, p. 5A

"Jule" Wikipedia. Online: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jule