757 Express Is Here
The 757 Express is envisioned as a mix of high-frequency, express and limited-stop bus services, connecting commuters to major employment destinations.
High Frequency Service
High-frequency – Thirteen bus routes connecting the highest densities of people and jobs in the region, will be converted to high-frequency 757 Express routes. Commuters will be able to catch a bus every 15 minutes during the peak hours of 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. every weekday.
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Express Bus Service
Express bus service – The Metro Area Express (MAX) service has been rebranded 757 Express! It may have a new name, but it is still the same great service you have come to rely on.
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Limited-Stop Commuter Bus Service
These are routes that provide limited stop bus service connecting passengers to major employment destinations throughout the region. The following Limited-Stop bus routes have also been rebranded 757 Express.
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Passenger Amenities
Shelters and benches play a critical role for our customers. No one likes to stand outside in the rain or cold in the dark waiting for a bus. That’s why we’re adding hundreds more shelters with benches to make the transit experience a little more pleasant. And shelters are coming with solar-powered lights for those early morning and evening trips. We’ve even contracted to expand our shelter cleaning program so we can keep these new shelters clean. We’ve even contracted to expand our shelter cleaning program so we can keep these new shelters clean.
New Technology
HRT is making a big investment in technology with the aim of keeping customers informed on a basic question that all transit customers ask: Where’s my bus?
- Real-Time Bus Information will allow customers to use their smart phones to learn how soon a bus will arrive at a specific stop. Open a browser to the gohrt.com home page, type your bus stop number into “My Stop”, and the system will tell you when the next bus will arrive. No more guessing or waiting any longer than necessary.
- Transit Center displays will allow customers in larger centers to see a readout of the system’s status — just like you do at the airport.
Future Projects
757 Express represents such a large change for HRT’s transit profile that we will need a new operations division in Virginia Beach. Engineering designs are 30 percent complete for a new bus maintenance facility to replace the decrepit Parks Avenue building in Virginia Beach. It is over 35 years old, functionally obsolete, and severely limited to the number and types of buses that can be stored and maintained.
The new facility will accommodate year-round operations and be large enough to support the storage, maintenance, and operation of HRT’s larger fleet in addition to existing VB Wave trolley operations.
The project scope includes routine and long-term maintenance for 100 buses, up to 50% electrification capacity, with fueling, electric bus charging, revenue collection, lost and found and administrative offices.