UPDATE: Major changes to BARTA bus schedules will take effect on January 5, significantly impacting commuters in the region. The South Central Transit Authority has announced several crucial adjustments aimed at enhancing service reliability and safety.
Route 1, servicing Temple via Fifth Street Highway, will eliminate the outbound and inbound time point at Fifth Street Highway and Crescent Avenue. This adjustment is designed to improve on-time performance for riders who depend on this route.
In a move to better accommodate employee shifts, Route 8 will add four new trips to Birdsboro between 12:50 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The 5:15 a.m. trip will no longer serve the Boscov’s Distribution Center but will instead provide service at 7:15 a.m. to meet demand.
Route 9 will now include approved service to Berks Nature, located at 575 St. Bernardine St., on both inbound and outbound trips, expanding access to this important environmental resource.
Additionally, Route 10 will initiate service to Shillington Plaza after 6:30 p.m. for inbound trips only, enhancing evening accessibility for residents.
Route 14 will no longer serve Wernersville State Hospital from Womelsdorf on trips marked with an “A” note, while Route 15 sees adjusted timings aimed at improving on-time performance. This route will also change its path at Park Road and Hill Avenue to enhance safety for both customers and drivers, traveling from Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue to Penn Avenue.
Similarly, Route 16 will modify its route for safety reasons, adding service to R.M. Palmer Company on the last trip at 11:05 p.m..
Notably, Route 17 will now serve Tower Behavioral Health on inbound trips only, addressing critical transportation needs for residents in that area.
Lastly, Route 22 will extend its service from East Penn Manufacturing to Kutztown University for all trips, reflecting a commitment to support educational access.
Passengers are encouraged to check updated schedules at bartabus.com to plan their journeys accordingly. These changes underscore BARTA’s commitment to improving service efficiency and safety for all riders.
Stay tuned for more updates as these adjustments roll out, and ensure you’re informed about how they might affect your daily commute.
