SOURCE: Hampton Roads Transit, September 2022
HRT on Thursday officially welcomed 24 new buses fresh from the factory and sporting the 757 Express logo as preparations continue for the October 30 launch of the service on the Peninsula.
The initial 757 Express service begins on the Route 112 with 15-minute weekday service frequency during the morning and evening rush hours, a first for that route and for Peninsula commuters. Route 112 runs from the King-Lincoln Park Fishing Pier, past Patrick Henry Mall, through downtown and the Newport News Shipbuilding, and north to Lee Hall.
The 112 is the busiest route on the Peninsula, and at 24 miles it is the second longest in HRT’s system. The buses were shown to members of the governing board moments after the conclusion of the regular monthly meeting, held this month in Hampton.
Service is only part of the Express program. New shelters with solar lighting, improved technology that allows customers to track their buses on a cell phone, better pay for operators, and an enhanced maintenance program to keep those shelters clean are all part of HRT’s continuing plan to develop, deliver and provide improved service to the region.
“This is just the start. Our mission is to connect Hampton Roads with transportation solutions that are reliable, safe, efficient, and sustainable. The 757 Express is part of that mission.”
— William E. Harrell, President, and CEO of HRT
HRT ordered the new buses to provide the equipment needed for the new Peninsula service and to not draw equipment away from existing services. It also will continue an aggressive program to recruit, train, and prepare operators to run future Express routes. The Express program is scheduled to expand to routes across HRT’s network contingent on sufficient operators being hired to deliver the service.