Hampton, VA – Hampton City Council joined Hampton Roads Transit today for a ride-along on Route 114. The 757 Express route, which runs along Mercury Boulevard, has seen a 35% increase in ridership since 15-minute peak service was launched in 2023.
The moving bus served as host for an official council meeting with all seven councilmembers in attendance. Along the route, councilmembers were able to see locations of recently planned and installed shelters, important route connection locations, and learn about ridership.
“I think it’s important that we, as councilmembers, get out and see how transit is serving our community,” said Vice Mayor and HRT Commissioner Jimmy Gray. “So many people depend on it to get to and from work and, as we heard from the staff, over 70% are riding it to get to work.”
The ride-along also allowed the council to see how Hampton’s transit service interconnects with the City of Newport News at some of the region’s busiest stops.
“Our mission is to connect Hampton Roads with transportation solutions that are reliable, safe, efficient, and sustainable,” said William Harrell, President & CEO of Hampton Roads Transit. “Hampton City Council’s continued support has been vital to the service we provide to the community.”
Hampton City Council last completed a ride along with HRT in 2017 when the city was considering the current alignment of Route 114 along Mercury Boulevard. Hampton’s council is the only city council to date to host an official council meeting on an HRT bus.
A brief video of today’s event can be found on HRT’s YouTube page. To learn more about Hampton Roads Transit and its services, visit gohrt.com