GRTC’s next service updates take effect Sunday, January 31, 2021, with modified schedules on several routes that prioritize service on the busiest routes throughout the pandemic. Express service will remain on COVID-reduced schedules, and several local bus routes (4A, 4B, 50, and 77) will have fewer trips each day while ridership remains higher on GRTC’s core routes. Public timetables will be available online and in area displays in January.
GRTC Chief Executive Officer Julie Timm says, “Thousands of essential workers depend on GRTC every day to get to jobs, healthcare, grocery stores, and other essential services. And the reliability of our service for those riders has been significantly disrupted due to the spread of COVID in our region. Some GRTC staff currently eligible for the vaccine (such as veterans) have independently received their first dose from local hospitals. Other GRTC staff over the age of 65 or between 16 and 65 who have co-morbidities will be eligible for the vaccine starting Monday the 18th at vaccination clinics. The remainder of our staff will be eligible for the vaccine starting January 31st. We greatly appreciate VDH’s efforts to keep transit workers prioritized in our region and keeping us up to date on their progress.”
Timm continues, “Even with expected vaccination eligibility dates for our employees, we understand that actual distribution may continue to be slow throughout the state, including to us, and we do not know when we will have access or approval for on-site vaccination events for our GRTC staff. With the current surge of COVID cases in the Greater Richmond area, the corresponding surge among transit employees, and the potential of more contagious variants of the virus spreading throughout the country, GRTC is bracing for higher rates of employee absenteeism and associated quarantine measures. Scheduling staff is diligently working to balance required service with staff availability to minimize the current unreliability of our schedules. However, until we can effectively vaccinate our frontline staff and our essential operations and maintenance staff, COVID will continue to cause increasingly significant mobility disruptions for our region’s essential workforce and our economy.”
Riders are reminded to only make essential trips on GRTC. Extended rides (such as joy-riding and riding beyond past your original boarding location on a single ride) are prohibited. All riders must wear a face mask over both nose and mouth prior to boarding and throughout the entire trip per Executive Order 63. All buses maintain on-board hand sanitizer for use during boarding and exiting buses. Do not leave home and do not ride transit if presenting symptoms of illness. GRTC remains Zero Fare, and passengers must enter and exit using the rear doors unless needing Operator assistance at the front door (for example, individuals using mobility devices, passengers requesting the ramp, and families with small children). For the most complete and latest GRTC updates during this pandemic, please visit our website.
Route 3A/B/C – Route names are unchanged for now, but work is underway to be consistent with the City of Richmond’s name change from Jefferson Davis Highway to Richmond Highway on US Route 1 within City limits. In the future, like Route 111, Jefferson Davis Highway will appear as “Route 1” on timepoints, schedules and bus electronic destination header signs.
Route 4A Montrose – Service frequency is temporarily reduced on weekdays to 30 minutes during peak and 60 minutes off-peak, and on weekends to 60 minutes all day. Public Timetable (PDF)
Route 4B Darbytown – Service frequency is temporarily reduced on weekdays to 30 minutes during peak and 60 minutes off-peak, and on weekends to 60 minutes all day. Public Timetable (PDF)
Route 5 Cary/Main/Whitcomb – Eastern end-of-line location changes to Oliver Hill and Fairfield. Public Timetable (PDF)
Route 39 Fairmount/Oakwood – Route remains canceled until further notice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers may use Route 12 to reach the Market @ 25th. Routes 7A and 7B also serve the market.
Route 50 Broad Street – Route frequency is slightly adjusted to every 40 minutes. Public Timetable (PDF)
Route 77 Grove – Route frequency is slightly adjusted to every 40 minutes. Public Timetable (PDF)
Express Routes
GRTC continues to operate reduced schedules during the pandemic on most express routes.
The following routes are operated by fixed route buses: 29x, 64x, 82x, 95x.
The following routes are currently operated by GRTC vans: 23x, 26x, 27x.
The 28x remains canceled until further notice during the pandemic.
Times below are for typical commuter patterns going to Downtown in the morning and leaving from Downtown in the afternoon.
23x/26x Glenside/Parham: Morning trips occur at 6:55AM and 8:00AM from Parham. The Route 23x afternoon trip from Downtown Richmond is at 5:28PM. Route 26x afternoon trips from Downtown Richmond are at 4:05PM and 5:10PM. Public Timetable (PDF)
27x Glenside: Morning trips occur at 6:55AM and 8:05AM from Glenside. Afternoon trips from Downtown Richmond occur at 4:00PM and 4:55PM. Public Timetable (PDF)
28x White Oak Village: Service canceled until further notice. Customers may ride Routes 7A/B or 56 from White Oak to Downtown Richmond instead.
29x Gaskins: Morning trips occur at 6:25AM, 7:30AM and 8:25AM from Gaskins. Afternoon trips from Downtown Richmond occur at 4:25PM and 5:35PM. Public Timetable (PDF)
64x Stony Point: Morning trips occur at 6:10AM and 7:30AM from Stony Point. Afternoon trips from Downtown Richmond occur at 3:50PM and 5:15PM. Public Timetable (PDF)
82x Commonwealth 20: Morning trips occur at 6:30AM and 7:15AM from Commonwealth 20. Afternoon trips from Downtown Richmond occur at 4:05PM, 4:35PM, and 5:15PM. Public Timetable (PDF)
95x Petersburg: Normal schedule. Public Timetable (PDF)
102x Kings Dominion: Suspended until further notice.
Please send any routing questions or comments to:
Email planningcomment@ridegrtc.com
Phone: (804) 358-3871
Mail: Planning Division, GRTC Transit System, 301 East Belt Boulevard, Richmond VA 23224
GRTC is a public service corporation providing mobility services in the Greater Richmond area. GRTC’s current operational budget of $60.3M primarily funds daily mobility operations and vehicle maintenance. GRTC provides more than 9.25 million trips annually.
