The South Central Transit Authority has announced several significant changes to the BARTA bus schedule, set to take effect on January 5. These adjustments aim to enhance service efficiency, improve on-time performance, and better accommodate community needs. The updates impact various routes throughout the region, ensuring riders have access to reliable transportation.
Details of the Schedule Modifications
Key changes include alterations to multiple routes:
Route 1, which travels through Temple via Fifth Street Highway, will see the elimination of specific time points at Fifth Street Highway and Crescent Avenue. The adjustments are designed to enhance the on-time performance of the service, ensuring riders experience fewer delays.
On Route 8, which connects Reiffton, Shelbourne Square, and Birdsboro, four additional trips have been added between 12:50 and 17:00. Notably, the 5:15 a.m. trip will no longer serve Boscov’s Distribution Center, with that service shifting to the 7:15 a.m. trip to better align with employee shifts.
Route 9 will now include approved service to Berks Nature, located at 575 St. Bernardine St., accommodating both inbound and outbound trips. Meanwhile, Route 10 will provide inbound service to Shillington Plaza after 18:30 only.
Additional Route Adjustments
Further modifications affect Route 14, which will no longer serve Wernersville State Hospital from Womelsdorf on trips marked with an “A” note on the schedule. For Route 15, adjustments have been made to improve on-time performance, including a route change at Park Road and Hill Avenue to enhance safety for both customers and drivers. The route will now travel from Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue and then to Penn Avenue.
Route 16 will implement similar safety improvements, changing its route in the same area and adding service to R.M. Palmer Company on the last trip at 23:05.
Lastly, Route 17 will now serve Tower Behavioral Health on inbound trips only, while Route 22 will extend its service from East Penn Manufacturing to Kutztown University for all trips.
Schedules reflecting these changes are available on the official BARTA website at bartabus.com. The adjustments aim to streamline operations and provide better service for the community, reflecting the authority’s commitment to improving public transportation in the region.
