One Year in, Indy BRT Line is the City’s Most Popular Bus Route

The Purple Line serves over 100,000 riders per month.

1 minute read

July 23, 2025, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Line of purple construction helmets on shovels in front of Purple Line banner for photo op at BRT line groundbreaking.

Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

A new bus rapid transit line in Indianapolis is a hit with residents, overtaking IndyGo’s most popular line within less than a year of opening.

In a piece in Axios, Justin L. Mack describes an end-to-end trip on the Purple Line, which stops near some of the city’s most well-known attractions and job centers. “According to IndyGo, the Purple Line is within walking distance of more than 134,000 jobs and 58,000 people, more than 30% of whom are identified as low income.”

Mack notes that the bus arrived at its final destination three minutes behind Google Maps’ predicted time, but this was due in part to ongoing construction detours on the route.

IndyGo riders could face a 57 percent increase on fares if a proposed fare hike goes through next month.

Thursday, July 17, 2025 in Axios

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17, 2025 - San José Spotlight

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

White freight truck on asphalt highway with sunset in background.

How a Truck Tax Could Save the Highway Trust Fund

The freight trucking industry is a prime candidate for a mileage tax that would boost road maintenance revenue.

7 hours ago - Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Inside of empty Los Angeles Metro train.

Metro Data: LA Transit Ridership Fell Due to Immigration Raids

Metro ridership data reveal how the ICE raids sweeping Los Angeles are disrupting daily life and impacting how people move around the city.

July 24 - Streetsblog LA

Close-up of front of Portland public bus with TriMet ad on front reading "TriMet: How Life Moves"

Portland Transit Agency Announces Planned Service Cuts

TriMet says the state legislature’s failure to pass a bill that would have funded transit means it will have to make significant service cuts over the next several years.

July 24 - TriMet News