The city of Franklin has come a long way since its founding in the late 18th century. Today, it is one of the top 10 largest cities in Tennessee and a major part of the Nashville Metropolitan area. Low-rise condos are just as common as Southern Gothic historic mansions in Franklin these days. The city has grown rapidly since 1980, when people decided they liked the pace of life in Franklin much better than the hustle and bustle of the city of Nashville. As a result of that growth, the city has built a first-rate public transportation system to help residents navigate the town easily. Keep reading to learn how to get around using public transit in Franklin, Tennessee.

Franklin Transit

Franklin Transit is the primary bus system that operates within the city limits. It has two routes: The Red route and the Blue route. The Red route operates along the west side of Franklin, between the Fieldstone Farms neighborhood in the north and the Bradford & Davidson station in the south. The Blue route runs from the Downtown Transit Center to the Galleria Mall seven days a week. It runs a longer route Monday through Friday that includes the Williamson Medical Center and Columbia State Community College in the east.

Buses run every 30 minutes from stops on both the Red and Blue routes. The Red route runs from 6:40 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. every day. The Blue route runs from 7:00 a.m. at the Downtown Transit Center until just after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. The shorter weekend Blue route runs from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The routes are designed to take riders from the outskirts of Franklin to the Downtown area, with stops at major shopping areas along the way (especially along the Blue Route, which traverses past the Galleria Mall and the Walmart Supercenter).

Franklin Transit also operates the smaller Transit On DemanD (TODD) bus system. These smaller buses are primarily for ADA-eligible persons, although anyone can reserve a curb-to-curb drop-off and pick-up ride. The buses hold eight to twelve passengers, and rides can be reserved 24 hours in advance by calling (615) 628-0260.

Transportation Management Association

The Transportation Management Association (TMA) operates under state and federal funding to provide car-pool and van-pool ride-sharing services within the region around Franklin. Many employers use the service to bring several employees to work in a single vehicle, thus reducing local road congestion when driving around Franklin. Most of the major cities in central Tennessee have hubs where the van-share and ride-share services are available. TMA's website makes it easy for Franklin residents to find a ride-share for commuting to Nashville for work.

Here's an example of how the van-share service saves commuters money: The 21-mile commute to Nashville from Franklin typically costs the average motorist approximately $5,503 per year. Sharing the cost of gas with several other people in the van-share service reduces the annual fuel cost to roughly $1,485 per commuter. Van-share commuters can save an average of 74% on fuel costs.

The limitation of the TMA system is that there need to be other commuters heading to work at the same time on roughly the same route. The service is still in its infancy, so some commuters may not be able to find a ride-share that fits their schedule.

Other Franklin Public Transit

There are two other public transportation options for commuters traveling from Franklin to the Nashville area: Ride Simply and WeGo Public Transit.

Ride Simply is a concierge service that provides vetted drivers in nice, clean, late-model cars. The service offers rides within Franklin similar to a taxi service and also offers fixed-price rides into Nashville and the city of Brentwood. It's an excellent way for residents to get from their homes in Franklin to the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, or a Tennessee Titans game in Nashville without having to wrestle with traffic.

WeGo Public Transit is a regional bus service that operates between outlying suburbs and the Downtown Nashville neighborhood. One of WeGo's routes, the 95 Spring Hill Express, makes three stops per morning in Franklin on its way to Nashville from the city of Spring Hill. Buses depart from the Williamson County AG Expo building on the east side of Franklin at 6:11, 6:41, and 6:57 a.m. every weekday morning. The return routes stop at the Expo building at 4:24, 5:02, and 6:09 p.m. in the afternoons. This is a highly affordable method of commuting to Nashville from Franklin, so long as it works with a commuter's schedule.

Public Transportation in Franklin, TN, Makes Life Easier

The public transportation options in Franklin may seem limited at first glance compared to other suburban cities, but that's because many of the programs are still very young. Franklin has grown faster than these public transportation systems in recent years because it's such a great place to live, work, and commute from. As time passes, new residents moving to Franklin can expect more routes and more public transit options to become available, especially along the I-65 corridor between Spring Hill, Franklin, and Downtown Nashville.

Does Franklin sound like the perfect place to live? Contact The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage with Nashville's MLS at (615) 603-3602 to get in touch with Franklin real estate agents who can help you find the ideal Franklin home.