Need Help with the Trip Planner


Help on Planning Your Trip

Help on Getting Itineraries

Help on Checking Schedules

Help on Reading Schedules

Help on Using Next Bus

Help on Using Locations

Using Help is easy. Please select from the links above for detailed instructions on using each feature.

Trip Planner, Schedules, Next Bus and Location Lookup may contain terminology, references or phrases that some people may find difficult to understand. Below you will find a Reference Guide for these instances to help you better understand the results obtained through these features.

If you find you are still having problems and the Help Files do not provide the information you need, please contact one of our Customer Service Representatives at 585-1234 for any immediate problems. If you have a general comment or suggestion, you may email info@ridetarc.org.

Reference Guide
Stop location in relation to the intersection in the direction of travel:
NS = near side
FS = far side
Direction abbreviations:
The direction is for the final destination of the route.
NB = Northbound
SB = Southbound
WB = Westbound
EB = Eastbound

Bus Stop Names and Numbers:
Bus stops have a name associated with them, like "Broadway @ 10th." The first street is the street the bus stop is on and the second street is the closest cross street. The abbreviations NS, for near side, or FS for far side indicate which side of the intersection the bus stop is located. Bus stops also have a four or five digit number associated with them. These are numbers that are assigned to the bus stops by the computer. They are handy to remember if you want information on the next scheduled arrival at that stop, using the Next Bus page, or by calling 585-1234.

Destination Sign:
This is the sign that is on the front of the bus. It has the route number and the route name or the destination of that route. For example, a Route 23 bus that is head westbound towards Shawnee Park would have a destination sign that reads, 23 Shawnee Park.

Help on Planning Your Trip

Planning a Trip requires 4 simple steps. Below you will find information on each of these steps to assist you if you are having difficulties.

Steps and Specify the Origin and the Destination by entering:

  • an address, e.g. 1000 Broadway
  • an intersection, e.g. 5th & Market OR
  • a landmark, e.g. Louisville Slugger Field
Tip: If you are having difficulty matching your address or intersection, try omitting unit/suite numbers, street suffixes (i.e. St., Ave., Pl.) and/or directional indicators (i.e. N, S, E, W) .

To search for landmarks, click on Landmarks by Category and choose a category from the drop-down list. This is useful if you do not know the name of the landmark you are looking for.

If the information that you enter can be interpreted in more than one way, a list of possible matches is returned, so that you can choose the one you want and proceed.

Note: If you are having problems with a specific location, please try entering it using the address.

Step Enter a Date/Time for departure or arrival

By default, Trip Planning assumes that your request is made for today, departing at a time close to the current time. The Date displayed is the date your 'Trip Planning' results will be based on. Date selection is important as TARC provides different levels of service on different days. A trip valid on a given weekday may not be available on the weekend, or on a future weekday after seasonal service changes, usually in January, May and August.

Enter the Time of day you want to travel and whether you want to depart or arrive at the time of day specified. Time can be entered a number of ways. For example:

  • 10:00 pm
  • 10a
  • 10 am
Note: If you do not specify am or pm, or use military time, accurate itinerary results may not be provided.

Trip Planning will find itineraries based on the exact time provided. Remember times at some stops are estimated based on normal conditions and actual times may vary slightly due to heavy traffic or roadway conditions. Please allow sufficient walking time to/from your Origin/Destination.

Step Select Options

The Sort Results by buttons enable you to optimize your itinerary search results by:

  • Trip Time - sorts itineraries by the shortest trip
  • Number of Transfers - sorts itineraries by the fewest transfers
  • Walking Distance - sorts itineraries by the shortest walking distance

Trip Planner page

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Help on Itineraries

The itineraries page provides more detailed information about the trips that you are planning or have selected.
The search criteria you specify when requesting a trip plan is listed at the top of the page. This includes:

  • Origin - Where you are starting
  • Destination - Where you are going
  • Requested for - Date and Time you are planning your trip
  • Valid for - Weekday, Saturday or Sunday/Holiday service; and the time period for which Trips and Schedules are currently available

Please note: Itineraries may vary from one day to the next and may change with each seasonal service change. Weekday and weekend service levels may be different and Trip Plans available today, may not be available every day.

Select to view Details

Next, a list of itinerary options is sorted and displayed according to the selection specified previously (Number of Transfers, Duration or Walking Distance). These options were selected in the Sort results by buttons in Step 4 of Trip Planning.

Each itinerary option outlines the routes used, time of departure, time of arrival, total duration of the trip, the number of transfers required, the approximate walking distance and the applicable fare.

For more information on each option presented, click on Details located beside each itinerary option.

To plan a return trip, click on Return Trip. This will reverse your Origin and Destination on a new Trip Planning form. Enter or select a date and time for your return trip and click "Get Your Trips".

Itinerary Details

Itinerary Detail summarizes each of the itinerary options.

The information displays details of your trip including the routes, stops, departure and arrival times for each leg of your trip. A map displays the origin and destination including the path you will travel to your final destination.

Print this page and take it with you to help you remember your trip plan, route numbers and transfer points.

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Help on Checking Schedules

On the Schedules page:

  • Enter your Route # or select a route from the drop-down menus provided.
  • Click "Go to Next."


  • Select the 'Direction.'
    • Keep in mind when selecting your Direction that no bus route travels entirely east, west, north or south. For example, if you choose the Direction of "East," not every stop along the route can actually be facing eastbound.
  • Enter the 'Date' as directed (MM-DD-YYYY), or select a 'Date' using the Calendar.
  • Enter or select the 'Time Range'. Time can be entered a number of ways. For example:
    • 10:00 pm
    • 10a
    • 10 am
    Note: If you do not specify am or pm, you may get a schedule for the wrong time of day.
  • Click "Go to Next."


  • Select the stops by clicking on the box next to the stop name, and click on Stops on Printed Schedule or All Stops and click "Get Schedule." OR
  • Customize your schedule. Select one or more stops from the list of stops provided and click "Get Schedule."

Schedules page

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Help on Reading Schedules

Schedule information is displayed according to the selection made:

  • Stops on Printed Schedule - displays only major stops that have been selected as due points for a route. Due points are provided to maintain schedule accuracy. The arrival of the bus at stops between due points are estimated based on normal service conditions.
  • All stops - displays every stop in the direction selected for that route
  • Select stops - displays ONLY those stops that have been selected.

Stop information includes the stop number with major due points appearing in bold. The stop numbers may not appear on the actual bus stop signs, but are displayed here for reference and can be used on the Next Bus page or over the phone at 585-1234.

Scrolling
Viewing the complete schedule may require scrolling up/down and left/right. Because of this, your Stop and Trip information can become lost in the viewable region of your browser. Mouse-over the times for a 'tool-tip' providing the Bus Stop location and the destination sign shown on the front of the Bus.

Printing
Preview a print for each schedule using the "Print Options" utility. Your schedule will automatically adjust itself to fit within your selected page width (Letter or Landscape), and adjust to the number of required pages.

Printing schedules is only available when displaying "Due points only" or "Select stops". If your browser is displaying "All stops", the schedule you print will adjust to "Due points only".

Schedules page

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Help on Next Bus

The Next Bus page provides information on when the next bus is scheduled to arrive at your stop.

Finding your Next Bus information requires your stop number. This can be found by clicking the link to "find your stop number". For information on using this tool, see Help on Locations.

Once you have made note of your stop number, you can find your Next Bus information quickly and easily using the Next Bus tool each time you visit. You can also use the stop number over the phone at 585-1234.

For the Next Bus using your stop simply enter your stop number and click on "Next Bus".

Note: The default time and day are already set and the results will display times for ALL routes at your stop from now until the end of service. You can change the time and date if necessary. Enter the 'Date' as directed (MM-DD-YYYY), or select a 'Date' using the Calendar.

The 'Time' can also be adjusted. You can enter time a number of ways:

  • 10:00 pm
  • 10a
  • 10 am

If you know the specific route you'd like Next Bus information on, you can use the "Optional - route specific search". Enter the route number in the field provided or choose from one of the drop-down menus. The results will display times at your stop for this route ONLY, from the time submitted to the end of service on that day.

Next Bus page

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Help on Locations

The Locations page can be used to:

  • Locate the nearest transit stops in or around a location so that you can Plan a Trip going to or from this location
  • Determine the stop number to find the Next Bus at that stop

Enter one of the following:

  • an address (e.g. 1000 Broadway)
  • an intersection (e.g. Broadway & 10th)
  • a landmark (e.g. Louisville Slugger Field)
A list of multiple matches may be returned if the request can be interpreted in more than one way. If so, choose the one you want and click Search.

You can also look up Landmarks by Categories. Click on "Landmarks by Category" and choose a category from the drop down list. A list of landmark options within the chosen category will display. Select one.

Note: Not ALL locations in the region are included. If you are having problems with a specific location, please try entering it using the address.

Locations page

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