New Year, New Ride Guide

RTA has posted up the details of the service changes coming on January 10th, as well as a PDF of the new Ride Guide. The good news is that there are no major service cuts, and only two minor ones. In fact, service on many rural routes has been expanded, especially on weekends, thanks to the JARC grant funding that was redirected from late-night service. The bad news is, of course, that a new bus book without major service cuts is good news these days.

The service changes affect the following routes: 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21, 22, 27, 30, 41,
50, 53, 74, 79, 208, 212 and 217. They fall broadly into one of three categories: rerouting for the Magnolia Avenue underpass, rerouting to the Perris Transit Center, and either schedule improvements or adjustments.

Routes affected by the Magnolia Avenue project are: 1, 13 and 15. 1 and 15 will detour via Jurupa and Brockton, while 13 will detour via Riverside and Central.

Routes that are being moved from the 4th and Wilkerson Transfer Point (of Despair) to the new Perris Transit Center: 19, 22, 27, 30, 74, 208, 212. Timepoints, routes and schedules will be adjusted accordingly.

Other service changes: Route 41 will see new weekend service, routes 7 and 8 will see more frequent weekend service, and route 79 will see more frequent service. Routes 3, 11, 21 and 40 will see timepoints either move or be eliminated, with corresponding adjustments to their schedules. Route 53 is listed as starting service in January, though it's been in service since September. Good to see it listed in the Ride Guide, though.

Service cuts: The 50 Jury Trolley will no longer serve the City's parking lot at 3rd & Market. Alternate service is available on routes 12, 16, and 29. (Jurors continue to ride free on all RTA routes.) Also, this isn't really so much of a cut as it is an adjustment: The 217 will lose the earliest of morning southbound runs, but will gain a later run. Actually being cut, however, is reverse-commute service to Hemet in the mornings. All northbound morning trips will stop at Temecula's Promenade Mall. Alternate service is available on route 79.

While the current web version of the Ride Guide makes no mention of the Riverside Go Transit program, commenter Eric insists that the print version will not make this mistake.

Pick up your PDF of the new Ride Guide here.