Knoxville Transportation Authority (KTA) approved proposed KAT service reductions at this afternoon’s specially called public hearing, with one adjustment recommended by KAT staff.

After hearing from the public, KAT staff recommended adding back in one weekday 10:15 p.m. evening trip on Route 42 – UT/Ft. Sanders Hospital, due to the consistent nature of several employees from both hospitals whose shifts end during that time.

The service reductions are as follows:

• Elimination of Routes 10 – Sequoyah and 19 – Lakeshore/Lonas

• Reduction of all Sunday service schedules, with the last downtown departures at 5:15 p.m.

• All weekday and Saturday evening service ends earlier, with the exception of core routes 11, 12, 22, 31 and 41 continuing through an 11:15 p.m. line-up.

• Reduced hours on Route 13 – Beaumont

• Reduced weekday frequency on Route 42 – UT/Ft. Sanders Hospitals

• Reduced frequency on Orange and Green Line trolleys

The paratransit Lift service area will remain the same, as well as weekday and Saturday hours. Lift service will end on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in conjunction with fixed route service reductions.

In addition to these service reductions two route changes were approved:

• A new proposal to serve West Town Mall (outbound only) via Gleason Drive

• A proposal for a route change on Route 12 – Western to use 5th Avenue to University (rather than Arthur and Boyd) through the Mechanicsville area

The full details of these approved changes will be posted on KAT’s website at www.KATBus.com.

Recognizing the spiraling effect this could have on those using KAT for work-related transportation, KAT and Knox County CAC Transit are partnering to provide work-related transportation to fill in the gaps left by these reduced service levels. KAT passengers can call Knox County CAC Transit at 865-524-0319 to check availability. Knox County CAC Transit will do their best to work with passenger schedules to provide work-related trips. KAT will cover the costs of the CAC fares for these passengers until a return to normal service levels on that route."

KAT has had to reduce service levels during COVID twice – once in early 2020, returning to regular levels in July. But those same reductions had to occur again in November 2020. Increasing workforce allowed a return to some previous levels of service, but not all, in March of 2021. However, since that time, workforce levels have continued to fall and are now lower than at any time during the pandemic.