Make your voice heard by joining our growing coalition of public transit advocates and champions.
Together, we can build the public transportation system that our community expects and deserves.
Everyone rides Citilink, including youth, seniors, people with disabilities, and people with limited English skills or low incomes. 7% of Citilink’s district households do not have car access. 14% of the population lives with a disability, many of whom rely on Citilink’s Access service. 15% of the population lives in poverty. 34% of the population are non-white or of Hispanic/Latino origin, populations that face systemic barriers that increase their reliance on public transportation.
Citilink ridership is growing, with an annual ridership of 1.6 million passenger trips last year and up 6% so far this year.
Citilink matters to people because we provide affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly transportation options that benefit the entire community. For those without access to personal vehicles, Citilink offers a vital means of mobility, connecting residents to jobs, healthcare, education, and essential services. We link people to life.
Citilink fosters a more connected and sustainable community in Fort Wayne.
Public transportation in Greater Fort Wayne has declined for many years due to funding and service cuts. Ridership has rebounded in recent years, however, indicating strong demand. If Citilink’s 2025 budget is not approved, service cuts will be so steep that state and federal formulas will result in further service cuts.
Join our coalition today to stay in the know of all of our latest updates and to learn about how you can help.
According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), nearly half of public transportation agencies in the United States will face budget deficits in the next five years. This is due to flat or declining revenue and increasing operating expenses. Citilink’s budget deficit will arrive next year. Lafayette, South Bend, and other transit agencies face a fiscal cliff in Indiana.
In the last decade, Indiana laws constraining public revenues, such as property tax caps, have lowered Citilink’s revenues by more than $10 million. Indiana funding for public transportation, known as the Public Mass Transit Fund (PMTF), has been held virtually flat for the past 11 years. Citilink relied heavily and to a greater extent on federal relief funding during the pandemic. As that funding has expired, Citilink’s costs are $2.5 million higher than its regular budgeted revenue for 2025.
The legislature removed the PMTF from gas tax revenues in 2012, and the fund stopped growing. This $45 million pot of funding is shared by some 66 rural and urban transit agencies in Indiana. Citilink has received about $2.1 million in PMTF funding each year. Since 2012, PMTF funding grew by less than 1% annually on average, while Citilink’s operating costs grew by 54% due to inflation. The time has come for the legislature to improve PMTF funding substantially.
State law requires Citilink’s Board of Directors to approve a special levy to defray costs in the case of a budget shortfall. The Board has authorized an additional tax levy on property within Citilink’s district of $0.0149 per $100,000 in assessed value. This increase results in estimated increased property taxes between 0.5% and 0.9% depending on property locations and whether they have already reached their tax caps. If approved by the Fort Wayne City Council, the special levy will raise $2.5 million to resolve Citilink’s deficit.
Citilink is a special unit of local government governed by a Board appointed by the Mayor and City Council of Fort Wayne. Indiana law requires elected bodies, such as the City Council, to finally authorize budgets for local government units. As such, the City Council will have the final say on Citilink’s budget and the special levy.
Citilink will continue to operate its scheduled service in 2025. However, Citilink will continue to work on sustainable revenue sources, such as increased state funding, and lower its costs to mitigate its structure deficit problem. This could mean small-scale reductions or changes in service next year.
If the budget is rejected, the state will authorize Citilink’s budget at the expense budgeted for 2024. However, with a $2.5 million revenue shortfall, Citilink will have to make deep cuts to service in 2025. Nearly 14% of service would have to be cut, resulting in the loss of more than 300,000 annual passenger trips, or 840 rides per weekday.
DISTRICT 1 TOP 100 STOPS
DISTRICT 2 TOP 100 STOPS
DISTRICT 3 TOP 100 STOPS
DISTRICT 4 TOP 100 STOPS
DISTRICT 5 TOP 100 STOPS
DISTRICT 6 TOP 100 STOPS
DISTRICT AT-LARGE TOP 100 STOPS
Greater Fort Wayne community leaders have identified public transportation as essential for community and economic development.
The City of Fort Wayne and Allen County’s All in Allen plan, Greater Fort Wayne’s Allen County Together plan, and Visit Fort Wayne’s Tourism Master Plan have each identified needs for expanding public transportation to enhance access to jobs, healthcare, housing, education, and other needs.
Citilink requests that Northeast Indiana delegates will help champion and advance the following priorities:
1. Recognize public transportation as essential to rural and urban communities throughout the state and avoid the unintended harmful statewide effects of legislation intended for Indianapolis.
2. Modernize legislation to give local governing bodies in Northeast Indiana the flexibility and authority needed to establish well-functioning public transportation services that meet rural, urban, and regional needs.
a. Cities and counties, regardless of population size or region of the state, need mechanisms such as city/county ordinances and interlocal agreements to establish public transportation services that overcome barriers created by out-of-date service area boundaries limiting service to county lines.
b. Provide public transportation corporations with mechanisms to raise sustainable local funding through referenda in coordination with local governing bodies.
3. Adjust the Public Mass Transit Fund (PMTF) for inflationary cost increases. Since 2013, Citilink’s PMTF funding has grown by 9%, while operating expenses have grown by 54%.
Our community expects and deserves more from public transportation yet we currently are facing a budget deficit that may force us to cut service.
Join our growing list of community partners, supporters, and coalition members.
Check out some of our community partners below:
In addition to our partners listed above, we also have community members and supporters who see the value that Citilink brings to the greater Fort Wayne community.
Join these people by signing up for our coalition today. Dream of a future with Citilink where public transportation becomes a focal point of our growing city, truly serving the needs of our community, and being able to link everyone in our community to life.
Check out some quotes from our supporters below:
Citilink has been instrumental in the program at All God’s Children. During my youth, before I took on the role of director, I depended on the PTC to transport me to and from the neighborhoods, ensuring I arrived at school safely. I wanted to share that experience with the students here. It’s crucial to take advantage of the services available to the community and to know how to navigate them, whether in emergencies or simply for enjoyment. We have depended on these stops for over fifteen years. Without this stop, it would be challenging to travel safely with more than 30 students, and it would hinder our extracurricular activities. We eagerly anticipate riding the bus and bringing joy to the bus driver. The bus rides are more than just a means of transportation; they are an essential part of our daily routine, fostering a sense of community and independence among the students. Each journey is filled with laughter, stories, and the occasional sing-along, transforming a simple commute into a cherished experience. The bus drivers, with their friendly waves and warm greetings, have become an integral part of our extended family, always ensuring our safety and well-being.
We have witnessed firsthand how these rides contribute to the students’ growth, teaching them responsibility and time management. They learn to plan their routes, understand schedules, and navigate the city with confidence. This knowledge is invaluable, empowering them to explore opportunities beyond the confines of their immediate surroundings.
Eliminating this service would not only disrupt our daily operations but also deprive the students of these formative experiences. It is crucial for their development and our community’s cohesion that we maintain this vital connection. We urge the authorities to consider the profound impact this service has on our lives and to continue supporting our efforts to provide a safe, enriching, and joyful journey for all.
Best regards,
Andrenette Lee Montgomery
Director
Please let this serve as a letter of support for Citilink and its proposed 2025 budget request submitted to you for review at your October 8 City Council meeting,
If Citilink’s proposed budget is not approved, there will be a $2.5 million revenue shortfall that will require Citilink to make deep cuts to service in 2025. If not approved, 14% of service will need to be cut, resulting in the loss of more than 300,000 annual passenger trips, or 840 rides per weekday.
Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana leads the way to 100% equity, access and inclusion by enriching education, enhancing health, expanding employment and elevating community. If Citilink’s proposed budget is not approved, service cuts would include routes offered to 58 participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities attending day programs at Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana located at 4919 Coldwater Road in Fort Wayne. Our participants rely on Citilink’s Access services every weekday for morning and afternoon transportation to their day program activities.
Additionally, Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana is seeing a tremendous needs for increased public transportation services within the City of Fort Wayne and Allen County service areas for individuals with disabilities that are pursuing employment opportunities. On average, 80% of people with disabilities in Indiana are either unemployed or underemployed, and a significant barrier toward employment is access to public transportation.
Citilink is a tremendous resource to persons served by Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana for transportation to and from employment. If Citilink’s 2025 budget request is not fully funded, the 14% service cuts will cause disruption and potentially discontinuation of service to 23 people served by Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana who are currently employed in Fort Wayne and Allen County and use Citilink to get to and from work each and every day.
Thank you,
Donna Elbrecht
Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of Bowen Health, I am writing to express our strong support for the full funding of Citilink, Fort Wayne’s public transportation system. We provided physical health, mental health, and substance use treatment services to a diverse population, including many individuals and families who rely on public transit to access our services. We see firsthand the essential role Citilink plays in maintaining the health and well-being of our community.
Public transportation allows patients without access to a car or other reliable means of transportation to reach critical healthcare appointments, pharmacy services, and follow-up care. According to a recent study done by CTN, we already know that 23% of our population in Allen County skip preventative healthcare appointments due to lack of transportation. Without Citilink, many of these individuals would face barriers to receiving timely and necessary treatment, potentially leading to worsened health outcomes and increased emergency healthcare costs.
As Fort Wayne continues to grow, it is more important than ever to ensure public services like Citilink keep pace with that growth. Cutting Citilink’s funding or reducing service would disproportionately affect those who are most in need, including seniors, low-income individuals, and those with chronic health conditions. Additionally, the economic impact of cutting services would ripple throughout our community, as individuals are unable to reliably get to work, medical appointments, or other vital destinations.
We strongly encourage the City Council to recognize the integral role Citilink plays in the health and economic stability of Fort Wayne residents and to fully fund Citilink to maintain its services.
Thank you for your time and your dedication to the future of Fort Wayne. We urge you to protect and strengthen Citilink’s funding for the benefit of the entire community.
Sincerely,
Shannon Hannon, MBA, FACHE, CMPE
Chief Operating Officer
© 2024 Citilink. A Service of the Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation.
