Citilink

What Citilink does

Citilink, formally the Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation, is the primary public transit authority serving the Fort Wayne metropolitan area and Allen County, Indiana. The municipal corporation — owned and governed under the City of Fort Wayne and led by General Manager/CEO John Metzinger — operates 14 fixed bus routes supplemented by Flexlink deviated-route service, Citilink Access and Access Plus+ ADA/paratransit demand-response services, MedLink hospital transportation, Greyhound interline connections from the Central Station hub, and Commute with Enterprise vanpools. Sub-brand shuttle partnerships extend the network to the University of Saint Francis (Cougar Express) and Ivy Tech Community College Northeast (campusLink).

The technology stack is built around GTFS-compliant open schedule data distributed to Google Maps, Apple Maps, Transit App, and Moovit; mobile fare validation via Token Transit with contactless tap-to-pay, fare capping, and a forthcoming Royale trip planning app; and the Citilink Intelligent Transportation System (CITS) for dispatch and fleet management on electric-hybrid buses being procured with nearly $11 million in federal funding. The organization is Title VI, ADA, and DBE compliant, and recently created a Chief Impact Officer role (Melissa Shaw, May 2026) to formalize community-impact work.

Revenue is derived from a mix of passenger fares (single rides, monthly and summer youth passes, all-day passes, paratransit fares), transit advertising via Mesmerize, event and Free Fare Saturday sponsorships (Ambassador Enterprises, AARP Indiana, AWS Foundation), and the bulk of operating and capital funding from Federal Transportation Administration grants and City of Fort Wayne allocations. The customer base is broadly horizontal — commuters, K-12 and university students, healthcare riders, ADA riders, and seniors — with no enterprise B2B revenue concentration.

Name

Citilink

Legal name

Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation

Website

https://fwcitilink.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Citilink is the municipal public transit authority for Fort Wayne and Allen County, Indiana, operating 14 fixed bus routes plus paratransit, MedLink hospital service, vanpools, and intercity connections, serving commuters, students, ADA riders, and seniors with GTFS-integrated digital fare and trip planning tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Fare Revenue: Citilink generates revenue from bus fares including single rides, all-day passes, monthly passes, and special passes like summer youth passes
2. Transit Advertising: Interior and exterior bus advertising space sold to businesses, providing big impact at cost-effective prices to reach Fort Wayne workers, seniors, students
3. Sponsorships: Partnership sponsorships for programs like Free Fare Saturdays, holiday shuttles, and community events
4. Federal/State Funding: Operating assistance and capital equipment purchases from Federal Transportation Administration and other government sources

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Citilink provides public bus transportation services across the greater Fort Wayne, Indiana area, operating 14 regular fixed routes supplemented by ADA-eligible paratransit (Citilink Access), premium paratransit beyond ADA boundaries (Access Plus+), deviated-route service (Flexlink), hospital transportation (MedLink), vanpool ride-sharing with Commute with Enterprise, intercity Greyhound connections, and campus shuttles (Cougar Express, campusLink). Riders pay fares via single rides, all-day passes, monthly passes, summer youth passes, mobile ticketing through Token Transit, and contactless tap-to-pay.

Product overview

Citilink is the public transportation provider for Fort Wayne, Indiana, operating as a unified transit platform offering multiple service modes. The core offering consists of Fixed Routes (14 regular bus routes) supplemented by Flexlink flexible routing, MedLink hospital transportation, and paratransit services (Citilink Access for ADA-eligible riders and Access Plus+ for extended coverage). Additional services include Greyhound intercity partnerships, Vanpools via Commute With Enterprise, and campus-specific shuttles including Cougar Express for University of Saint Francis and campusLink for Ivy Tech. The platform has recently expanded digital capabilities through Token Transit mobile ticketing, fare capping, tap-to-pay payments, and the Royale trip planning app (all launching June 2026), while also pursuing fleet electrification with electric-hybrid buses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Citilink Access: ADA paratransit service for riders who meet ADA eligibility requirements and are unable to use fixed route services.
• Flexlink
• MedLink
• campusLink
• Cougar Express
• Citilink Access Plus+

Products and services

• Fixed Routes Core bus service operating 14 regular routes at scheduled times across the greater Fort Wayne area. Riders enter a location and destination, pay the fare in-person or online (via Token Transit), and board the bus at stops.
• Flexlink Flexible deviated-route bus service that can pick up or drop off at alternate stops beyond the fixed route, offering greater access in the north and southwest areas of Fort Wayne on Routes 21 and 22.
• Citilink Access ADA paratransit demand-response van service for riders who meet ADA eligibility requirements and are unable to use fixed route services, providing accessible door-to-door transportation for individuals with disabilities.
• Access Plus+ Premium paratransit option for passengers traveling outside the ADA-required 3/4 mile boundary from fixed route service, providing extended accessibility service coverage beyond standard ADA paratransit requirements.
• MedLink Specialized transportation service providing reliable connections to Parkview Hospital Randallia and Parkview Regional Medical Center service areas for patients, visitors, and staff.
• Greyhound Intercity Travel Intercity bus travel operated by Greyhound out of Citilink's Central Station in Downtown Fort Wayne, providing connections to destinations including Chicago.
• Vanpools Ride-sharing program in partnership with Commute with Enterprise, providing employer-sponsored vanpool commute solutions that lower employee transportation costs and reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips.
• Cougar Express Campus shuttle service for University of Saint Francis students providing transportation between campus and downtown Fort Wayne locations.
• campusLink Campus transportation service in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College Northeast providing easy campus mobility between Ivy Tech locations.
• Travel Training Expert-guided program helping first-time riders navigate the city, including optional accompaniment on initial trips, designed to onboard new riders into public transit use.
• Real-Time Service Alerts Real-time alerts delivered via text and email to notify riders of route changes, detours, schedule changes, weather impacts, and special events affecting service.
• Paratransit / Citilink Intelligent Transportation System (CITS) Intelligent transportation system for managing bus operations from the dispatch area, improving fleet management and operational efficiency; part of Citilink's broader fleet and operations platform investment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.6 million rides provided annually to Fort Wayne community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GILLIGcoreTechnology or IntegrationBus manufacturer partnership for fleet procurement. Citilink partnered with GILLIG to receive nearly $11 million in federal funding for new electric-hybrid buses to drive Fort Wayne forward. GILLIG is the primary bus supplier for the fleet.
• MesmerizeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTransit advertising partner. Mesmerize handles Citilink's transit advertising sales, offering interior and exterior bus advertising to reach Fort Wayne riders and community members.
• Token TransitcoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile ticketing technology partner. Token Transit provides mobile validators and fare collection system for Citilink buses, enabling riders to purchase passes via smartphone app.
• Google MapscoreTechnology or IntegrationGTFS data integration partner allowing transit information to be displayed in Google Maps for route planning and navigation.
• Apple MapscoreTechnology or IntegrationGTFS data integration partner allowing transit information to be displayed in Apple Maps for iOS users.
• Commute with EnterpriseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVanpool partnership providing ride-sharing programs for Fort Wayne employers to ease employee commute and lower transportation costs.
• GreyhoundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIntercity travel partner operating from Citilink's Central Station in Downtown Fort Wayne for travel to destinations including Chicago.
• Ambassador EnterprisesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Free Fare Saturdays program along with Downtown Fort Wayne.
• Downtown Fort WayneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Free Fare Saturdays program along with Ambassador Enterprises.
• AARP IndianaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for free fare days on Election Day and community engagement initiatives.
• AWS FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation supporter of Citilink Access service, providing funding that enabled absorption of double-digit ridership increases.
• Ivy Tech Community College NortheastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership featuring campusLink service connecting campus locations and celebrating 50 years of community service together.
• University of Saint FrancisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership featuring Cougar Express shuttle service for students traveling between campus and downtown Fort Wayne locations.
• Turnstone CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with center for people with disabilities featuring new accessible bus shelter and regular transit routes to facility.
• YWCA Northeast IndianaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership featuring new bus route stop at YWCA headquarters providing transportation access for community members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FWCitilink
• Facebookfacebook.com/FWCitilink
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citilinkfw
• Instagraminstagram.com/fwcitilink

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citilink