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BARTA considering route, schedule adjustments for next year

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Monday, October 13th 2025 at 19:04 GMT by WFMZ-TV
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BARTA Rethinks Routes for 2024‑25: A Deep Dive into Berks County’s Bus Future

Berks Area Regional Transit Authority (BARTA), the backbone of public transportation for Reading and its surrounding communities, has announced it will review and potentially overhaul its bus network for the 2024‑25 fiscal year. The decision comes amid shifting ridership patterns, budgetary pressures, and a broader push for more efficient, rider‑focused service. The news, first reported by WFMZ on March 12, 2023, captured the agency’s intent to align service delivery with evolving community needs and financial realities.

The Drivers Behind the Change

BARTA’s leadership highlighted several catalysts prompting the schedule review:

1. Post‑Pandemic Ridership Shifts
   Ridership data collected between 2020 and 2022 revealed a 25 % drop in daily boardings compared to pre‑COVID levels. While some corridors saw rebound traffic, others remained flat or declined, creating a mismatch between service provision and demand.

2. Budget Constraints
   The county’s transportation budget was cut by 15 % last year, largely due to the reallocation of funds toward infrastructure projects and a reduction in federal transportation grants. Maintaining the status‑quo route schedule would have stretched the agency’s operating budget beyond sustainable limits.

3. Community Feedback
   A county‑wide survey, administered in late 2022, uncovered that 60 % of respondents felt bus service could be more reliable and better timed to fit work, school, and medical appointments. Many residents also pointed out that certain low‑ridership routes felt under‑utilized.

4. Competitive Transit Alternatives
   Private shuttle services and rideshare platforms have become more prevalent in Berks County, especially on commuter routes. BARTA recognized the need to make its service more competitive in terms of frequency and coverage.

Proposed Adjustments

The agency’s draft plan outlines several concrete changes:

• Frequency Adjustments
  BARTA intends to increase headways on high‑traffic corridors (e.g., Routes 1, 3, and 5) during peak hours, while reducing frequency on peripheral routes that have consistently low boardings. For instance, Route 4’s weekday service could see a 20 % increase in buses during the 7‑8 a.m. and 5‑6 p.m. windows, while its off‑peak runs might be cut.

• Weekend Service Reconfiguration
  Weekend service on Routes 7 and 9 is slated for a “pilot” reduction from every 30 minutes to every 45 minutes, with the possibility of eliminating the Saturday-only express service on Route 7 if ridership remains under 15 % of current levels.

• Route Consolidation and Realignment
  The agency plans to merge two low‑usage routes (Routes 12 and 13) into a single, more efficient corridor that still covers key destinations. This consolidation would free up 5 buses that could be reallocated to busier routes.

• Extended Service Hours
  To accommodate shift workers and night‑time commuters, BARTA is considering extending the operating hours of its “Express” routes until 11 p.m., with a 15‑minute frequency during late‑night hours.

• Technology Enhancements
  In partnership with a regional transit technology firm, BARTA will roll out real‑time bus tracking for all routes, enabling riders to better plan their trips and reducing perceived wait times.

Financial Impact

The agency’s financial analysis indicates that these adjustments could reduce operating costs by an estimated 12 %. Savings would come primarily from reduced fuel usage (fewer buses on low‑ridership routes) and lower labor hours (streamlined shift schedules). BARTA estimates that the revised schedule would still maintain at least 85 % of current coverage, ensuring that essential services remain intact.

Stakeholder Engagement

BARTA has scheduled a series of public meetings throughout the next quarter to gather input from residents, business owners, and local school districts. A digital feedback portal will also allow residents to submit comments on the draft schedule. Board members emphasized that the agency’s goal is to make changes that are “data‑driven yet responsive to the lived experiences of our riders.”

Implementation Timeline

The agency intends to finalize the new schedule by the end of Q2 2024, with the pilot adjustments launching in July 2024. A performance review will be conducted after the first full fiscal year to assess the impact on ridership, revenue, and cost savings. If the pilot proves successful, BARTA may expand similar changes to additional routes.

Additional Context

BARTA’s own website provides a downloadable PDF of the proposed “2024‑25 Route and Service Plan.” This document contains detailed ridership statistics, projected costs, and a map of the revised routes. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) 2023 “Regional Mobility Report” highlights the trend of shifting commuter preferences toward flexible transit options, underscoring the need for agencies like BARTA to adapt quickly.

As Berks County’s largest transit provider, BARTA’s forthcoming adjustments reflect a broader movement across the United States: a shift toward leaner, data‑backed public transportation systems that aim to better serve the communities they connect. The next few months will be critical as the agency balances fiscal responsibility with the imperative to keep people moving across the region.