Rolling Out a New System

The GRTC Pulse line is set to launch June 24, along with revamped routes

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You might have noticed  some of the 215 signs advertising new bus stops when the impending GRTC Transit System route changes take effect, and if you’re wondering — yes, the cones and congestion related to the Pulse bus rapid transit line are almost a thing of the past.

“This whole redesign is meant to make it easier for people to know when to catch the bus and where they can go,” says GRTC spokeswoman Carrie Rose Pace. “What you’ll see is a faster, more frequent and certainly more consistent transit network.”

The Pulse line is set to open June 24, six days before the contractual completion date. Meanwhile, Lane Construction is putting the finishing touches on the bus rapid transit stations, such as landscaping, ceiling installation, lights and signs.

In addition to the Pulse buses running every 15 minutes along a 7.6-mile stretch from Willow Lawn to Rocketts Landing, the new GRTC map is color-coded to signify frequency among the system’s 44 routes.

  • Red means buses stop every 15 minutes. 
  • Blue means a bus every half hour. 
  • Green-line buses will stop hourly. 

On June 25, the system will also begin offering weekday service every 30 minutes to Richmond International Airport on the Route 7 A/B Nine Mile Henrico line. There will be service every 30 minutes between Willow Lawn and Pemberton and Broad Street on the the Route 19 Pemberton line, and Henrico’s new Route 79 Patterson/Parham line will extend farther west to the Gayton Crossing Shopping Center at Quioccasin and Gaskin roads.

If you’re unsure of your new commute, you can:

  • Call GRTC customer service to be matched with a “travel buddy,” and a bus will pick you up and travel round-trip on your new route.
  • Find an “Outreach Ambassador” wearing a safety vest and red "Ask me, I can help" pin at bus stations.
  • Use the extended customer service call center hours, weekdays from 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., or check out the GRTC YouTube channel for helpful, two-minute videos addressing topics such as bicycle or ADA accessibility in the new “How to Ride” series.

To learn about the new map and other system details, call 804-358-4782 or click the green updates tab at ridegrtc.com.