Connect Niagara, the Niagara County-run bus service, will undergo some changes to its bus routes beginning Jan. 20th.
Under the new bus route schedule, the red route has been merged into the purple route in an effort to prioritize areas with stronger demand for the service. The new purple route will include a stop at Niagara Falls International Airport. Service will no longer be provided to North Tonawanda, Wheatfield or Youngstown.
The Blue and Gold/Green routes are not affected. The Blue route runs between Niagara Falls and Lockport. The Gold/Green routes circulate through the eastern end of the county.
Formerly known as Niagara County Rural Transportation, Connect Niagara is run by the county’s Department of Public Works.
The service will continue to allow people to wave a bus down on route to hop on, or call the day before to schedule a pick up within three quarters of a mile of an existing route. The fare remains $2 on route and $4 off route; transfers to connecting routes and the NFTA Metro are still free.
“These changes are not about reducing service but focusing resources in areas that use Connect Niagara,” said Garret Meal, DPW commissioner. “And with our free transfers with the NFTA, most areas will still be able to get most places in Niagara County and beyond.”
According to Meal, the changes follow a review of user data in the two years since the current routes were adopted.
“At the end of the day, these changes reflect the best use of our resources to continue providing the service to those who are using it,” he said.
To learn more about the service, the routes and to schedule a pickup, visit www.niagaracounty.gov/bus.