NORFOLK, Va. — For the first time in 25 years, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) is preparing to make significant changes to its transportation system, including adjustments to bus routes and its on-demand rideshare services.
Before finalizing the changes, the agency is asking for feedback from residents across the six cities it serves.
Starting in early March, HRT will host a series of pop-up events and open houses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Newport News to talk with riders about the agency’s proposed System Optimization Plan, also known as SOP.
The draft plan examines how HRT can better allocate its resources, primarily by reducing bus services with low ridership and redirecting funding toward routes that have higher demand.
According to HRT, the proposal includes several possible changes: modifying or eliminating underperforming bus routes, increasing the frequency of service along busier routes, and adding 10 new zones to support the agency’s expanding on-demand rideshare program.
Transit officials say the changes are designed to improve efficiency while minimizing the impact on riders.
“What we found was that fewer than 1 percent of our customers will lose access to transit,” said Thomas Becher, spokesperson for HRT. “Many of the routes are just going to be realigned because they are duplicative. So it may mean a certain route is coming to a certain bus stop now, maybe it’s a different route number, but it comes more frequently.”
Pop-Up Events
HRT will host the following morning pop-up events where riders can ask questions and learn more about the proposal:
- Portsmouth: Monday, March 9, 6–9 a.m., County & Court streets transfer area.
- Virginia Beach: Tuesday, March 10, 6–9 a.m., TCC–Virginia Beach, Michael Labouve Dr.
- Newport News: Wednesday, March 11, 6–9 a.m., Newport News Transit Center, 150 35th St.
Open House Meetings
Additional open houses will be held in the evenings across the region:
- Portsmouth: Tuesday, March 10, 4–6 p.m., Portsmouth Public Library (Churchland Branch), 4934 High St. W.
- Virginia Beach: Wednesday, March 11, 4–6 p.m., Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd.
- Newport News: Thursday, March 12, 5–7 p.m., Newport News Public Library (Main Street), 110 Main St.
There will be more dates for Norfolk, The plan remains in the draft stage and still requires approval before any changes are implemented.
HRT has also released an interactive bus map that allows riders to see which routes could be affected in each city and review the data behind the proposed adjustments. To take a look at the map, click here.
Additional public meetings may be scheduled in the coming weeks as HRT continues gathering community feedback. The agency expects to continue refining the plan over the next year before putting the changes into action.
