Morning and afternoon trips planned for new Route 981 beginning May 10
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — One of the region’s largest fulfillment centers is getting a dedicated bus route beginning May 10 to support its more than 1,000 workers.
The City of Virginia Beach and Amazon requested service to the new Amazon Fulfillment Center (ORF 4) at 1795 Dam Neck Road after it opened last fall. HRT will operate the new Route 981 daily with two morning and two afternoon trips timed to complement morning and evening shift changes at the 3.2 million-square-foot, highly automated fulfillment center.
The route will run between HRT’s Downtown Norfolk Transit Center at 434 St Paul’s Blvd. and the Amazon facility with stops in both directions at Ballentine Boulevard and Newtown Road Station to connect to the Tide light rail, and Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach.
“This new route, part of our growing 757 Express network, demonstrates how HRT, the cities we serve – in this case Virginia Beach – and private industry can work together to develop transportation solutions that benefit everyone in our region,” said William E. Harrell, HRT’s President and CEO. “We look forward to launching this service with the full support of a partnership that recognizes how transit supports jobs, recruitment and the economy.”
“Getting to work shouldn’t be a barrier to opportunity,” said Patrick Duhaney, Virginia Beach City Manager. “This new route helps connect people to jobs, supports our local economy and reflects our commitment to working with partners to deliver practical solutions that meet the needs of our community.”
“We’re grateful to the City of Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads Transit for their instrumental support in launching Route 981,” added Lindsay Winter, Public Policy Lead for Amazon in Virginia. “This dedicated bus service not only expands employment opportunities to additional Hampton Roads residents and communities but ensures commuting is not a barrier to good-paying jobs with great benefits like day-one health insurance and prepaid tuition at Tidewater Community College, Norfolk State University, and Old Dominion University.”
Route 981 will operate seven days a week around the Amazon facility’s shift times of 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. It will not operate on Amazon company holidays.
The morning bus departs downtown Norfolk daily at 6:06 a.m., arriving at Amazon at 7 a.m. The evening trip departs Norfolk at 4:58 p.m. for a 6 p.m. arrival at Amazon. The return trip leaves the Dam Neck Road facility at 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., arriving at the Downtown Norfolk Transit Center at 6:26 a.m. and 7:28 p.m., respectively.
Route 981 is the latest limited-stop commuter bus service as part of the 757 Express network, which connects customers to major employment centers across the region. It’s similar to HRT’s Route 980, which operates between the Downtown Norfolk Transit Center and Amazon warehouses in Chesapeake and Suffolk.
Other route changes
In addition to the new route, HRT is making dozens of schedule adjustments and enhancements effective May 10. On the Peninsula, Route 403, which operates just once a day in either direction, will be eliminated but covered by Route 405.
Route 415, also operating once a day in either direction, will be eliminated, with coverage provided by Route 430 between Denbigh Fringe and Newport News Transit Center with a stop at Newport News Shipyard North Gate.
In Virginia Beach, the 2026 trolley season returns on May 10 with three summertime routes.
All route changes are listed in this service alert. Plan your trip on HRT’s system map.
About HRT
HRT’s mission is to connect Hampton Roads with transportation solutions that are reliable, safe, efficient and sustainable. For more information on transit services, visit gohrt.com.
Media Contact:
Thomas Becher, APR
Manager, Communications
Cell: (757) 354-0564
tbecher@hrtransit.org
April 9, 2026