‘Rover’ public transportation system marks 11-year anniversary

Rover, the Murfreesboro Transit System, is turning eleven.

As part of the celebration Rover patrons and the public are invited to enjoy a day of free ridership all day. Hot dogs, potato chips, and soda will be available from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Friday, May 11 at the Rover Transit Hub, located at 222 W Burton.

“We appreciate our customers, especially those riders who have been with us since inception,” said Assistant Transportation Director Russell Brashear. “Thanks to all the staff, management, and patrons for continuing to utilize and support Rover as we look forward to expansion and a future Rover Transit Center by 2021 in the fast-growing City of Murfreesboro.”

The City’s public transportation system surpassed a significant milestone in July 2016—the 2 million mark in ridership—and now has almost 2.3 million riders since inception. Rover has approximately 23,500 riders per month. Rover officially began service in April 2007.

An idea in the minds of city leaders in 2006, Rover began operation in Murfreesboro in 2007 with six routes and currently has seven routes with plans to combine routes on the West side of the City. More details on current routes can be accessed on the City’s website at http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/248/Public-Transit—Rover-Bus-System.

Rover currently operates a fleet of nine 23-passenger buses with front wheelchair ramps allowing for ease of boarding. Rover employees 15 drivers. The central hub is located at 222 W. Burton and leased from the Murfreesboro Housing Authority. The new Transit Facility would provide for multimodal transportation and a central location for boarding and transferring, as well as housing for dispatch, operations, administration facilities for the public transit system.

Rover Route Guides and tickets are available at City Hall, Linebaugh Public Library, the Murfreesboro Housing Authority and on Rover buses. Rover and Linebaugh Public Library also partner by serving library patrons with a mobile book drop for returning checked out materials on buses.

The City completed a Comprehensive Operational Analysis for Rover in 2017. A public hearing to discuss the findings was presented Nov. 14, 2017. Among findings of the study include the need for route service changes; the need for Saturday and evening service; the need for service to the Joe B. Jackson Blvd. industrial park area; and the need for electronic mobile app payment.

For more information on the Rover Public Transit System, including the Rover Route Guide, visit the City Transportation webpage at http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/index.aspx?NID=248.

For more additional information on Rover, contact Assistant Transportation Director Russ Brashear at rbrashear@murfrfeesborotn.gov or Transportation Director Jim Kerr at jkerr@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-893-6441.