This week, the City of Troy begins a new “Get on the Bus” program with its pilot run on Wednesday, February 3. The tour is a part of the city’s Leadership Development Initiative that began as a result of Frontier’s America’s Best Community competition. Having reached the semi-finalist round, the city decided these ideas would progress as planned regardless of their status in subsequent rounds.

“Get on the Bus” is a day-long introduction to the city’s culture, services, schools, and organizations. Visiting company executives, tourists, or long-time residents can take advantage of the program and experience the highlights of Troy in a whole new way. Melissa Kleptz of the Troy Foundation has been actively involved in the steering committee for this initiative and is enthusiastic about the view of the city this tour will provide. She described it as a “shortened version” of Leadership Troy which meets once a month for a year and gives a detailed overview of city operations and culture.

“This is designed to catch those new employees or new residents who need or want to be acclimated to the community quickly,” Kleptz said. “We’re trying to give a broad spectrum overview of organizations in a very relaxed, fun, social kind of way.” Each bus holds approximately 25 people and will begin the tour at the Troy Connection Center on the square at 8:00 a.m. The tour will then will then visit local hotspots like Hobart Arena, the Aquatic Center, Hayner, and other unique Troy landmarks until its conclusion at 5:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided in the middle of the day and a question and answer session will conclude their time along with refreshments. Leaders of various organizations will give descriptions of the facilities, services, and events in addition to promotional materials tour-goers can review throughout the day and take home later. “They will end up at the conclusion of the day with everything Troy in a bag,” Kleptz said.

It is still unclear how often the tour will run or what cost will be involved for participants. According to Kleptz, the steering committee is considering ways to make Get on the Bus available semi-monthly or quarterly. Kleptz said the Chamber of Commerce will be involved in making these decisions. The program will be given to them as a way to assist in leadership development.

The pilot tour this week will be a dress rehearsal for committee members and members of the Chamber of Commerce. The purpose of this initial run will be for those involved in the initiative to critique and review the program prior to its release as a public service. Other possible applications have been considered for “Get on the Bus.” Ideas have been aired like that of a community recreation tour where locals could get on the bus for a couple hours and visit area recreation facilities and parks. The leaders and committee members behind “Get on the Bus” are hopeful that these kinds of opportunities will encourage long-time residents and those who have recently joined the community to develop a well-informed appreciation for the variety and distinctive charm of their hometown.