Current and potential Carbon Transit riders on Monday learned of proposed January 2024 changes to the transportation system including the removal of flag stops in favor of official stops, and the introduction of real-time bus tracking.

AJ Jordan, director of planning and scheduling for the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority, stressed community engagement during the hour-long meeting in Jim Thorpe with residents encouraged to provide input and share preferences.

“We are removing flag stops,” Jordan said, “where you could hold your hand up and the bus will stop for you if the driver feels comfortable. We are making all stops official at the locations on streets where you need them. And one of the reasons we’re here today is we really want to hear from people on where they would like those.”

None of the planned January changes impact schedules, Jordan said, debunking what he called “common misconceptions” including a concern that service to Lehighton from Palmerton would be stopped.

“One of the things we are considering for June 2024 is whether or not it should be a flex route or a fixed route,” he added. “We changed that service temporarily into a flex route due to an issue with bus and driver availability. You had to make a reservation and choose the time you’d like to arrive. We actually got pretty mixed feedback. A lot of people were frustrated not having the schedule, but a lot of the riders were really excited about being able to choose when to go.”

Meeting attendees questioned Jordan about returning service to specific locations like the Lehigh Valley Mall and the Hometown Farmer’s Market, areas that were cut out as the service dealt with challenges and limitations of COVID-19.

Jordan said LANTA is hopeful to start service to the Lehigh Valley Mall in June.

“So we need to reallocate service somewhere in order to make that happen,” he said. “But we definitely hear a desire for that and we’d like to make that happen.”

The same desire, Jordan said, has not been there for the Hometown Farmer’s Market and the Hometown Walmart.

“We haven’t heard the demand for it,” he said. “In fact, a lot of people have told us they have switched from the Hometown Walmart to the one on Blakeslee Boulevard.”

The lack of weekend hours was also addressed Monday, with Jordan again noting plans for potential expansion based on feedback and demand.

“Our Fall Foliage shuttle, which ran throughout October, not only brought considerable ridership but also revealed potential new alignments that could enhance the overall system,” he said.

Other items discussed Monday included outreach and education programs, especially for seniors and those unfamiliar with technology, to enhance their comfort with using transit services, as well as a proposal for a “Bring a Friend” program to encourage new ridership.

Video of Monday’s meeting was posted to the Carbon Transit’s Facebook page. Comments on the proposed changes or any stops residents would like to see can be sent to surveycomments@lantabus.com or given by phone at 1-888-253-8333.