| Bloomington, IN |
City Performance |
open |
Case #214392, Case #214205, Case #213337, and Case #213273
Per the official uReport response provided by Gretchen Knapp, directing me to reach out because a plan was in place, she stated verbatim:
"Please reach out to Bloomington Transit directly regarding this issue. They have a plan in place to address these concerns."
Additionally, regarding broader administrative actions, she stated verbatim:
"Thank you for your message. We are actively working on addressing the area through daytime and overnight patrols from the Bloomington Police Department and our After Hours Ambassadors team to ensure that the issues and behaviors are addressed and that individuals can be offered connections to supportive services to help them access better housing ... When behaviors are violations under the law and local regulations, we follow City policies and practices regarding giving adequate notice of the laws and rules before a citation is issued. Individuals in this area have received the prerequisite notices and offers of support, and now we can move on to the next steps that should lead to improvements for the public experience of that area."
Administrative focus on overnight conditions completely misses the reality for daily commuters. I do not care who sleeps there in the middle of the night when the terminal is closed; my primary concern is early in the mornings, evenings, and weekends when paying riders are trying to make active transfers. During these peak operating hours, there is a total lack of security present. The transit terminal is listed on posters and websites as a "heating and cooling station." As one of the only women waiting at the terminal, the environment is deeply unsafe and intimidating, marked by individuals staring, memorizing riders routes, approaching uninvited, engaging in sexual harassment, and acting aggressively territorial over the benches because they treat the facility as an unmanaged home.
Furthermore, when reaching out to Police Chief Ryan Pedigo for assistance, his response was simply to just call 911 if there is a crime. But in practice, when 911 is called, these incidents, including sexual harassment, are routinely dismissed as a civil matter. This is entirely false. I do not know these individuals, these events are occurring on transit property, and I am a paying customer relying on public infrastructure.
Compounding this failure, the city is locking the facility during extreme weather conditions, denying riders access to water or restrooms. Yet the rest of the time, the terminal serves as an unmanaged crisis shelter, functioning as a makeshift heating and cooling shelter where restrooms are vandalized, instead of the city building a separate, dedicated facility for the unhoused. Making matters even worse, Bloomington Transit proposed budget cuts water resources for passengers even further. This occurs despite record breaking heat indexes and high humidity that are causing physical illness for commuters who are already outside and exposed to the elements waiting on buses all day. Shifting the burden of social services onto a transit terminal comes at the direct expense of public transit riders who need to work, go to the grocery store, visit the doctor, and access essential services. To make matters worse, the time tables and schedules especially for the #2 route have become unreliable. This is not the fault of the bus drivers.
Despite official assurances that a plan existed, following up yielded zero solutions or support. Instead, staff told riders there was nothing they could do and asked if they had considered taking an Uber to address ongoing sexual harassment and the potential of losing employment due to unreliable bus schedules. Compounding this administrative failure, outgoing management automated out of office notices ahead of the October 1st Keolis transition, effectively abandoning their posts. I never received a response from John McConnell, and when I reached out again via email this week, I received a can response that he had essentially went AWOL before October 1st: "I wanted to let you know that I am currently out of the office and will no longer be working for Bloomington Transit, effective October 1, 2026.
I appreciate the opportunity to have worked with Bloomington Transit and am grateful for the experiences and relationships I gained during my time there.
Please update your records accordingly. For any future inquiries related to Bloomington Transit, please contact the appropriate department or representative directly.
Thank you for your understanding.
Best regards,
John Connell"
I guess so what if someone who can't afford their own car has to deal with sexual harassment and might also lose their job because they can't get to work on time. He's getting paid either way.
This comprehensive audit record is permanently logged into the public uReport database to ensure incoming General Manager Nick Standefer, incoming Keolis leadership, and the City Council retain an unvarnished record of the operational realities, active harassment, law enforcement deflection, water resource cuts, facility lockouts, and administrative contradictions being inherited on day one. |
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1 day ago |