Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) today reported an increase in ridership on key 757 Express routes, a direct result of increased service frequencies during morning and afternoon commutes.
Three routes serving the Southside and Peninsula – Routes 20, 112 and 114 – saw significant monthly growth after frequencies increased to every 15 minutes during peak hours.
“We’re making it easier for people to get where they need to go and the latest numbers demonstrate that providing frequent, quality service is working for our customers,” said William E. Harrell, President and CEO at Hampton Roads Transit.
Route 20, connecting downtown Norfolk with the Virginia Beach oceanfront, is already HRT’s busiest. In April, 75,727 riders took advantage of this service, compared to 53,245 in October 2023, the month before service was increased to 15-minute intervals. That’s up 34 percent.
Route 112 runs from Lee Hall to Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News. Since 15-minute service launched in October 2022, ridership has increased by 57 percent. In April, the route carried 53,801 riders, compared to 23,969 in September 2022, before service increased to 15-minute intervals. This exceeds ridership from before the Covid pandemic.
On Route 114, serving Mercury Boulevard and Downtown Hampton, ridership is up 44 percent in April compared to April 2023, from 22,030 to 30,718, a number also above pre-Covid levels.
HRT also has seen an uptick in ridership on other routes connecting to 757 Express buses.
The 757 Express will eventually consist of 13 bus routes connecting the highest densities of people and jobs in the region. Buses arrive every 15 minutes during the weekday peak hours of 6-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m.