ROANOKE, Va. – The new year means new ways you can ride public transit in the Roanoke Valley. Valley Metro is expanding bus service to seven days a week for the first time in about four decades.
This week, Valley Metro announced its expanding service hours, launching a micro-transit service called Metro FLX.
“We’re meeting the demand, so we’re excited about it,” said Valley Metro General Manager Kevin Price.
Passengers will be able to schedule late-night bus rides Monday to Saturday from 8:45 p.m. to 12:45 a.m. and Sunday rides from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Whether you’re going to the grocery store, whether you want to get a late night movie now, whether you want to go to church on Sunday,” said Price. “Those are options.”
Valley Metro is contracting the company Radar for the two-year pilot program, funded by nearly $2 million in pandemic relief funding allocated by the city of Roanoke. The 12-passenger buses will take you curb to curb anywhere in the City of Roanoke, Salem, or Vinton.
You can schedule a Metro FLX ride by calling Radar 24 hours in advance, or by 5 p.m. the day before you need a ride.
Riders said the increased service will make a huge difference, whether they’re going to work or just grabbing a bite to eat.
“Sundays after church you can like go get something to eat and stuff for people who don’t have transportation,” said Lakeita Cunningham, who rides the bus every day. “I think that’s really good.”
Nakayla Dickerson, a single mom, relies on the bus to get her child to daycare and to get to work. She says sometimes she works 12, 13, or 14-hour shifts at a time.
“I think it will be awesome because some people get off work like really late and they need the extra service,” said Dickerson. “I’m going to school to become an LPN so I need late-night services like that. So I think it’s amazing.”
With 1.2 million rides each year, Price hopes the increased service hours can meet a growing need in the community.
Valley Metro plans to make an announcement next week about when the service will begin.