81 Connection to allow free rides for CCCC students, faculty and staff

A new partnership between OCCK Transportation and Cloud County Community College will allow students, faculty and staff to ride 81 Connection buses for free.
Beginning today, all Cloud County students, faculty and staff can ride any 81 Connection regular fixed-route bus during normal operating hours by presenting a valid college ID to the driver.
“With the start of the new school year, we wanted to make it easier for students to get around north central Kansas,” Claire Mullen, mobility manager for the region, said, “This partnership will help connect students with local communities by riding 81 Connection and the new KANcycle bike sharing program. We are excited about this partnership with the college.”
The 81 Connection bus service has three bi-directional trips each day, Monday through Friday. The first  route starts in Belleville at 6:45 a.m., then heads south on U.S. Highway 81 to four stops in Concordia, a stop at the 81/24 junction, a stop in Minneapolis and stops at Seventh and Walnut and Walmart in Salina, and then heads back north to the same stops. A bus runs this loop twice and finishes in Belleville at around 5:40 p.m. each day. A Salina CityGo daily bus pass is included in the Salina Fare.
A second bus leaves Salina at 1 p.m. and heads north on Highway 81 to the same stops in Minneapolis, 81/24 junction, four stops in Concordia and the stop in Belleville before heading back to Salina with the same stops. The bus finishes in Salina at around 6 p.m. each day.
For more information about 81 Connection and Kansas Rides visit www.ksrides.org.