Newport News bus route now has stops every 15 minutes during rush hour

A popular bus route in Newport News is now served every 15 minutes during rush hour following the launch of the 757 Express — the first time this frequency of bus service has been available on the Peninsula.

The new service, vastly increasing the number of stops from 6-9 a.m. and 3:30-6:30 p.m., is available on Route 112, which serves the Newport News Shipyard, Riverside Regional Medical Center and Patrick Henry Mall. Outside those times, service is available every 30 minutes to every hour depending on the time of day.

Hampton Roads Transit intends to expand its 15-minute service across the region, beyond just rush hour, but doesn’t yet have the workforce needed to do it.

“We’re still striving to do this, but we’re just going to have to be working a little bit longer,” said Tom Holden, a spokesperson for the transit agency.

The next routes to offer Express service will be Route 101, serving downtown Newport News and downtown Hampton via Kecoughtan Road, and Route 114, serving Newmarket and downtown Hampton via Mercury Boulevard.

Routes 1, 2, 3, 8, 15, 20, 21, 36, 45, and 47 will add Express service as staffing allows, Holden said. These “core” routes were selected because they serve the highest density areas in the region, he said.

Holden added that HRT will determine the next routes to add Express service by May.

The launch of Route 112′s Express service on Oct. 31 coincided with improvements to Real-Time Bus Info, which gives riders the ability to know the location of their bus using their phone. To use it, go to www.gohrt.com, type in your stop number which is listed on the bus sign, and it will bring up the next three arrival times for that stop and report any relevant delays.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com