By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
Beginning Monday, May 10, The Rapid will implement an enhanced summer service schedule, providing increased access to public transit options across the entire service area.
The Rapid constantly monitors the public transit service it provides, working to adjust operations to offer the most reliable, efficient and effective service possible. Adjustments will be made to bus schedules to provide more service to the six-city area and to improve overall system performance.
Routes in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas that will be impacted are 1 – Division Route, Route 8 – Grandville/Rivertown, and Route 10 – Clyde Park. These routes will have both earlier and later times added to the schedules. Also, Route 2 – Kalamazoo and Route 16 – Wyoming/Metro will see an early start time added to the weekdays.
The main changes are as follows:
Seventeen routes will begin service earlier on weekdays
The following routes will begin service at 5:15 a.m. on weekdays:
▪ Route 1 – Division, Route 2 – Kalamazoo, Route 4 – Eastern, Route 5 – Wealthy, Route 6 – Eastown, Route 8 – Grandville/Rivertown, Route 9 – Alpine, Route 10 – Clyde Park, Route 11 – Plainfield, Route 12 – West Fulton, Route 15 – East Leonard*
*These routes previously started service at 5:45 a.m.
The following routes will begin service at 5:30 a.m. on weekdays:
▪ Route 7 – West Leonard, Route 16 – Wyoming/Metro Health*
*These routes previously started service at 6:00 a.m.
The following routes will begin service at 5:45 a.m. on weekdays:
- Route 3 – Madison, Route 13 – Michigan/Fuller, Route 14 – East Fulton, Route 18 – Westside*
*These routes previously started service at 6:15 a.m.
Fourteen routes will run later on weekdays.
The following routes will add a 10:15 p.m. departure from Rapid Central Station:
▪ Route 1 – Division, Route 2 – Kalamazoo, Route 3 – Madison, Route 4 – Eastern,
Route 5 – Wealthy, Route 6 – Eastown, Route 8 – Grandville/Rivertown, Route 9 – Alpine, Route 10 – Clyde Park, Route 11 – Plainfield, Route 12 – West Fulton, Route 13 – Michigan/Fuller, Route 14 – East Fulton, Route 15 – East Leonard*
The last departure for these routes from Rapid Central Station was previously 9:45 p.m.
- Service on Route 4 – Eastern south of 28th St. will improve from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- DASH service will now operate on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- DASH service will no longer operate on Saturdays
These service enhancements will expand transit options for Rapid riders as the region continues pandemic recovery efforts.
“We’re excited to be able to expand current service and increase options for our customers,” said Deb Prato, CEO of The Rapid. “Transit has such a critical role to play in pandemic recovery, and we will continue to provide our community with an accessible, reliable network of mobility options.”
