NORFOLK, Va. — Long waits for the bus could become less common for Hampton Roads transit riders under a newly approved plan from Hampton Roads Transit (HRT).
The agency recently approved its System Optimization Plan, a long-term strategy designed to increase ridership and improve service across the region. A major component of the plan focuses on expanding the number of high-frequency bus routes, reducing wait times for passengers during peak commuting hours.
For frequent HRT rider Heather Cutrone, reliability remains one of the most important aspects of public transportation. Cutrone regularly commutes from Virginia Beach to
Norfolk and said she has noticed improvements in bus maintenance and fewer service interruptions.
“You have less breakdowns, less mechanical issues, which allows you to be able to get to work on time and be able to rely on that public transportation like you want to,” Cutrone said.
Despite those improvements, she said timeliness remains a concern, particularly on routes with limited service.
“It’s only once an hour that the bus comes,” Cutrone said. “So if we have old buses or anything like that, they’re going to break down, which means that puts [people] behind by two hours sometimes.”
HRT officials believe the newly approved optimization plan could help address those concerns. The agency first introduced the proposal earlier this year during a series of public meetings. The overall goal is to increase ridership over the next several years by improving service where demand is highest.
According to Karen Kitsis, HRT’s Chief Planning and Development Officer, the plan would expand the number of regional backbone routes offering frequent service from three to 13.
“Service every 15 minutes during the peak hour, during commute hours typically, on several routes,” Kitsis said. “Right now we have 13 what are called backbone routes, regional backbone routes, and we have been able to get 15-minute frequency on three of them. This plan would enable us to get that level of frequency during commuter peak hours.”
While the proposal would increase service on many major routes, some lower-ridership routes could be discontinued. However, Kitsis said those areas would not lose transit access altogether.
“We’re looking to put in microtransit on-demand service in those locations,” Kitsis said. “So we are not going to be eliminating service altogether, but looking to put the more appropriate level of service in the right places.”
HRT estimates the plan would provide approximately 330,000 additional residents with access to bus service every 15 minutes, while fewer than one percent of current riders would lose access to transit service.
“It is a fundamental change for our bus service that we will have 13 routes that have 15-minute frequency,” Kitsis said. “When you start to get into that level, you don't always have to check a schedule to know that you're going to have a bus that's going to come and get you.”
The System Optimization Plan is not expected to take effect until May 2027 at the earliest. HRT has not yet released specific details on which routes will see increased frequency or which routes could be modified. Kitsis also tells News 3 that this will not involve job cuts.
“We're going to continue to need operators on an ongoing basis as people retire or find other forms of employment. So the plan in no way eliminates jobs, that maximizes the service we can put out within the jobs that we have,” she said.
As additional information becomes available, transit riders across Hampton Roads will get a clearer picture of how the changes could affect their daily commutes.
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