Expanded bus service in Cambridge starts Sept. 4

A photo of a GRT bus at Fairview Park Mall. (Courtesy: Grand River Transit)

More buses will be on the road in Cambridge starting next month.

Grand River Transit is launching expanded service in the city Sept. 4.

On Thursday, GRT released more information about the service changes announced earlier this year.

They include expanded service to southeast Galt, increased service on evening and weekends, and more direct travel options that GRT says will save riders commuting between major destinations like transit stations and shopping centres an average of five to 20 minutes per trip.

“I think the opportunity to give people that time back that they don’t spend in travel that they’re able to spend with their families or on their hobbies, that’s really exciting for us,” GRT Director of Transit Services Doug Spooner said.

The expansion in Cambridge was planned to happen 2020, but was put on hold because of the pandemic. Spooner said after doing more public consultation last year, GRT confirmed the need was still there.

“The city is growing; we’re seeing increased ridership,” he said.

The increased service will cost GRT $494,000 for the remainder of 2023, and $1.4 million annually going forward.

A more detailed look at the new and redesigned routes in Cambridge is available here.

Routes 54, 59, 64 and 75 are being discontinued. GRT says alternative routes will provide service to those areas.

MORE CHANGES THIS FALL

Grand River Transit also announced other fall service changes Thursday.

Weekend service is being added to routes 31, 33 and 36 in Kitchener and Waterloo to meet growth in those areas.

Route 2 and route 73 will be discontinued. Service along Stirling Avenue and Greenbrook Drive that was previously served by route 2 will be provided by the new route 35.

Late evening service every 30 minutes on weekdays will be restored on routes 3, 4, 33, 56 and 60 after it was cut during the pandemic.

ION light rail service and route 302 will return to 10-minute frequency on weekdays.