Kendall Area Transit provided the following news release:

Kendall Area Transit (KAT) is the county-wide community transit program for Kendall County. KAT program helps provide public transportation to all Kendall County residents but is particularly vital to seniors and persons with disabilities. KAT is administered through the County with daily operations provided by the nonprofit Voluntary Action Center (VAC).

KAT has quickly become known as a reliable transportation provider. All KAT riders happily call 1-877-IGO-4KAT (1-877-446-4528) when they need a ride.

When KAT first began operations, the service averaged 16 rides a day. Today KAT averages over 66 riders a day! That’s a 310 percent increase!! During the first week of December 2011, KAT provided more rides than during entire months in 2010.

All this growth and KAT is still expanding! KAT has registered over 1100 residents for service and provides over 60 rides a day and as many as 90 rides a day, on occasion. KAT riders schedule trips for many purposes, including, but certainly not limited to, medical, employment, social or recreational, shopping, and educational reasons.

It is impossible to name all the participants who have made KAT so successful so quickly, but particularly instrumental are the County and municipalities, which help provide matching funds for state and federal grants; the staff of Voluntary Action Center, especially the dispatchers and drivers whom so many riders rely on for safe and courteous services; partner social service agencies such as Senior Service Associates, Open Door, and Education Services Network; and state and federal agencies.

Forward-thinking leaders of Kendall County identified that transit was desperately needed in the area and set out to partner with others in the community for meeting that need.

As the KAT program continues fulfilling the transit needs of residents, Kendall County and VAC look forward to meeting the challenges posed by rapidly expanding ridership. As KAT continues to grow and expand, the residents of Kendall County remain the chief benefactor of these services.