Starting a new transit service is an exciting event for any community. New buses, signs, brochures and outreach events combine to generate public interest, excitement and yes…passengers! But what's it like for the people behind the scenes, especially that one person responsible for bringing it all together? Is the experience a breeze, a nightmare or more likely, something in-between?

Nelson\Nygaard staff touched bases with four transit operators who recently implemented new services. These operators gave us the scoop on what it "really takes" to get something started. They told us what went right, what went wrong and where they're going next. So sit back, take a few minutes and learn a few valuable lessons from some of your peers.