Shady’s Place Location & Name Changed to Thomas Nelson Hwy @ River Rd

February 11, 2022 Janet and Robin Community, News

The Lovingston CONNECT stop previously labeled as Shady’s Place has been renamed as Thomas Nelson Hwy @ River Rd to reflect the true location of the stop. This Park and Ride location, located just north of Shady’s Place, is unpaved but offers plenty of parking space for commuters. Please note that commuter parking is not allowed on Ebb & Flow property, located just north of the stop. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns regarding this change, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Jaunt, Inc. Announces Promotion of Karen Davis to Deputy CEO

December 15, 2021 Janet and Robin News

Davis will step into her new role effective immediately

Jaunt’s Chief Executive Officer, Ted Rieck, is pleased to announce the promotion of Karen Davis to Deputy CEO. Ms. Davis was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Jaunt in 2015. She served as interim CEO from December 6, 2020 through December 6, 2021.

“I am excited about what Karen and I can accomplish together.” Said Rieck in announcing the promotion. “Her passion for Jaunt and public transportation as a critical community service, and for contributing to the betterment of the communities we serve will ensure that our mission remains at the forefront of all our organizational decisions.”

In her tenure with Jaunt, Ms. Davis has been instrumental in the development and management of Jaunt’s annual budget, along with organizational policies and procedures. She is a change-agent within the organization, promoting and implementing the use of technology to realize efficiencies and operational improvements, as well as overseeing massive projects such as the renovation of Jaunt headquarters, the launch of the CONNECT commuter service, and the transition of Green County Transit operations to Jaunt.

“I am delighted to have this opportunity to continue to serve Jaunt and the community in this capacity.” Said Davis in accepting the promotion. “I am committed to Jaunt’s staff and our customers and I look forward to advancing our mission and vision in lockstep with Ted.”

Ms. Davis brings over 10 years of experience with Jaunt and over 30 years of executive leadership experience to the role. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Hobart & William Smith College and a Master of Science from Syracuse University.

Lovingston CONNECT: No Longer Serving Blossom’s Florist

December 8, 2021 Janet and Robin News

Unfortunately, Blossom’s Florist in Lovingston is no longer able to support commuter parking. As a result, this stop will be removed from the Lovingston CONNECT schedule as of December 7, 2021. In the short term, passengers riding the Lovingston CONNECT service are asked to board at either the Nelson Center or Shady’s Place bus stops. For any other commuters using this lot, please refrain from doing so to avoid being towed.

We understand the impact this might have on Nelson County commuters. Jaunt will be completing its Transit Development Planning process in 2023 which will provide Nelson County residents the opportunity to provide feedback on Jaunt stops and services. Details on the Transit Development Plan will be announced next year on the CONNECT website and through other communication channels. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

Temporary CONNECT Stop Relocation

November 30, 2021 Janet and Robin Community, News

Begins: November 30, 2021, at 4:03 p.m.

Ends: November 2023.

Affected Routes:

29N: 29 North CONNECT
CROZ-L: Crozet CONNECT Loop
CROZ-E: Crozet East CONNECT
CROZ-W: Crozet West CONNECT
BUCK-N: Buck North CONNECT

Affected Stops:

Emmet St @ Ridley Hall. Click here for updated Google Maps location.
Emmet St @ Central Grounds Garage. Click here for updated Google Maps location.

The stops listed above have been temporarily moved south approximately 300 feet due to construction. There are new signs in place to help you identify the new stops.

CONNECT Services Adopt Stop Points to Improve Commuter Experience

October 27, 2021 Janet and Robin News

Starting on Monday, November 1st, 2021, a small schedule change will go into effect. All drop-off stops will be converted from “time points” to “stop points.” Instead of strict departure times, these stops will now be published with an estimated time, denoted with a “~” symbol. Starting November 1st, drivers will not wait at these drop-off stops before moving to the next stop.

This change is being made to benefit the majority of our passengers who use CONNECT services as a commuter transportation option from the rural areas to urban Albemarle and Charlottesville. By making these changes, commuters will have to wait less when getting dropped off at work in the morning and at home in the evening. Pickup times will not be affected. Drivers will still wait until the advertised departure time before leaving pickup stops.

For passengers interested in “reverse commuting” by boarding the bus at a drop-off stop, you will now need to use the Transloc app to determine the location of the bus and estimated arrival time to your stop. The times published in the route schedule are estimates, not guarantees!

For more information on how these changes will affect schedules, please visit our CONNECT page.

2021 Jaunt City Art Bus Revealed

October 20, 2021 Janet and Robin Community, News, Partners

The Tom Tom Festival, Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT), and Jaunt revealed this year’s first winning artist for the 7th annual City Art Bus competition. Each year, a mural wrap is installed on buses from both agencies, which travel on local roadways for the next year.

The Jaunt bus design, unveiled on Wednesday, October 20th at 10:00AM at the Center at Belvedere (540 Belvedere Boulevard, Charlottesville), features Lindsay Heider Diamond’s design, “Things to Teach Our Children,” a colorful illustration of children from international backgrounds, with values such as Love, Purpose, Honesty, and Understanding inscribed.

“We’re excited to be partnering again with the Tom Tom Festival on this public art initiative and we’re so proud to have Ms. Diamond’s design on one of our buses,” said Jody Saunders, Director of Public Relations at Jaunt. “The values that Ms. Diamond wove into her design truly complement the intent behind Jaunt’s service: compassionate, attentive, and inclusive transportation for everyone.”

Lindsay Heider Diamond has worked as a professional illustrator, graphic designer, and creative director on both coasts. Diamond created this design as a poster, initially to create an awareness of these values in our world and raise funds for the International Neighbors organization in Charlottesville, VA.

“My hope is that people who see the bus take a word or two away each time they view it passing and contemplate how they live by those values in their own life and encourage those values in others around them,” said Lindsay Heider Diamond. “May the bus design be a reminder that we are all able to continue to learn and grow and that we have the opportunity to start practicing and teaching these values every moment we are alive. We are never too young or too old.”

The two moving murals operate on bus lines throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County. and will be seen by an estimated 200,000+ riders and residents.

Pictures of this year’s bus and more information on the City Art Bus competition can be found at http://www.tomtomfoundation.org/city-art-bus.