KRT route changes ready for action

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Long planned changes in the KRT bus serves went into effect Sunday.  The bus line added two new routes, eliminated two more, and changed the boarding procedures at the Transit Mall in downtown Charleston.

“We’ve spent the last two years working, studying, and planning and putting everything together,” said KRT Assistant General Manager Doug Harley. “New routes, new directions on routes, and reworking how we go through the Transit Mall.”

The changes were done out of efficiency and out of the desires of the riding public.

“Obviously Monday will be a bigger day than Sunday, but it’s still a holiday,” Hartley said. “Tuesday will be the big day when everybody is out on the system.”

Among the new routes is a South Side route which travels from downtown Charleston to the Kanawha Mall via the South Side Bridge.  The route also goes through Verizon, Columbia Pipeline, University of Charleston, CAMC Memorial, and the CAMC Cancer Center.

“That one will run every hour,” Hartley said. “We’ve also added some more express trips to Southridge.  We hope this will speed the time to people getting out there and get back. We’ve also added additional service on Sunday. ”

KRT also rerouted the City Park/Vista View bus.  It now goes from the Transit Mall to the Vista View Apartments.

Routes eliminated included one cut back in July along with the Garrison Avenue/Hillsdale Route and the Woodward Drive Route.

Signage for the new procedures and routes was posted on Saturday.  You can also get the new schedule at www.ridekrt.com.  Hartley suggested looking closely at your route because times may have been adjusted and changed five to ten minutes on the bus’ running time.