UPDATE: Significant changes to the BARTA bus schedule will take effect on January 5, prompting commuters to adjust their travel plans. The South Central Transit Authority, which oversees BARTA, has announced multiple adjustments aimed at improving service efficiency and safety.
Key changes include the elimination of time points on Route 1 (Temple via Fifth Street Highway) at Fifth Street Highway and Crescent Avenue, with adjustments made to enhance on-time performance.
Route 8 (Reiffton/Shelbourne Square/Birdsboro) will see an addition of four trips to Birdsboro between 12:50 p.m. and 5 p.m.. Notably, the 5:15 a.m. trip will no longer serve Boscov’s Distribution Center, shifting to 7:15 a.m. to better accommodate employee shifts.
In another enhancement, Route 9 (Grill/Kenhorst) will now include service to Berks Nature, located at 575 St. Bernardine St., in both directions.
Additionally, Route 10 (Brookline) will provide service to Shillington Plaza after 6:30 p.m. inbound only. Meanwhile, Route 14 (Wernersville via Sinking Spring) will not service Wernersville State Hospital on specific trips marked with an “A” note on the schedule.
For Route 15 (Berkshire Mall), adjustments have been made to improve on-time performance and enhance safety by changing the route at Park Road and Hill Avenue, now traveling through Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue to Penn Avenue.
Similarly, Route 16 (Broadcasting Square) will also modify its route at Park Road and Hill Avenue to ensure safe transit for customers and drivers, adding service to R.M. Palmer Company on the last trip at 11:05 p.m.
Route 17 (Glenside/Airport/Berks Heim) will now serve Tower Behavioral Health only on inbound trips, while Route 22 (Lyon Station/East Penn Manufacturing-Deka) will be extended from East Penn Manufacturing to Kutztown University for all trips.
These updates are critical for daily commuters and will significantly impact travel throughout the region as of January 5. For the complete schedule and additional details, visit bartabus.com.
As BARTA implements these changes, commuters are urged to stay informed and adjust their schedules accordingly. These developments underscore the ongoing commitment to improving public transportation services in the area.
Stay tuned for further updates as more details emerge regarding the BARTA bus schedule changes.
