San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System heard public comment on proposed changes to its Mid-City bus routes on Thursday. The agency has proposed replacing existing routes in Mid-City and along the Interstate 15 corridor with rapid bus routes. The area has one of the largest concentrations of riders in the system.
Rob Schupp with MTS said the changes will speed up customer service.
“Better service directly to downtown. Better service going north. There’s a new express route going along Adams Avenue that will come right downtown,” Schupp said.
The changes are also supposed to boost ridership. The Rapid C route in Mid-City will replace Route 15 between downtown and San Diego State University. Rapid A will provide new service seven days a week between Escondido and downtown. And Rapid B will operate between Rancho Bernardo and UC San Diego during busy weekday hours.
“The drive time is equivalent to getting in your car, and you’re just saving a ton of money. You’re not buying gas, not paying for wear and tear and paying for parking. You pay $100 a month to get on one of these nice buses and come downtown,” Schupp said.
The MTS board will make a final decision on the proposed changes in February. If approved, the new routes will go into effect between June and August.
