Business View Magazine - January 2024

SANGAMON MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT A journey with the community, sustainability and partnerships on the route to success TRANSFORMING SPRINGFIELD’S PUBLIC TRANSIT: AMODERNIZATION STORY P ublic transportation has seen a surge in ridership numbers and many areas are looking into bold modernization efforts as well as focusing on sustainability; Springfield, Illinois, is no exception. Steve Schoeffel, Managing Director of Sangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD), gives us a front seat glimpse into the intriguing history and progressive evolution of this fundamental component of the city’s infrastructure. Established in 1968 through state legislation that sought to create mass transit districts, public transit has been a vital part of the city’s infrastructure for over half a century. Initially, the region had privately run local transit services, gradually transforming into the publicly accessible transportation network we see today. 254 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 01