Huntsville Transit will be adding two additional buses in October.
That’s according to a staff report presented to council on July 27 by Reva Frame, director of corporate and community strategy, which states that the first phase of a three-phase expansion to the Huntsville Transit system will launch on Oct. 1.
The first phase, approved in July 2025, includes the addition of two transit buses and service improvements aimed at enhancing mobility and accessibility throughout the community.
Town staff said the two new transit buses are equipped with automated announcement systems to meet accessibility standards and provide the fleet capacity needed to support the anticipated increase in ridership.
As part of phase one, staff said transit service hours will also be expanded. Regular weekday service will increase to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., adding two additional hours, while Saturday service will run from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., adding 2.5 hours.
On-demand transit service will continue operating from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, with no change, while Saturday service will expand to 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., adding 10.5 hours.
The expansion will also launch with additional stop locations, which were determined based on feedback from riders, transit operators, and route testing. The new stop locations were determined to improve passenger accessibility and safety, better connect riders to key destinations and activity areas, improve route efficiency, minimize travel delays, and support reliable long-term transit service.
As a result of the stop modifications and route testing, staff said the revised maximum route cycle will be approximately 92 minutes, compared to the original 60-minute route, though travel times will vary depending on rider pickups and destinations.
According to staff, the initial 2026 operational cost for the expansion was estimated at approximately $148,500 but has since been refined to about $82,600. The 2026 cost is still expected to be funded through the Working Funds Reserve.
For 2027, operational costs are estimated at approximately $351,000 and have since been refined to about $368,000. The figure will be further adjusted once grant allocations are confirmed and actual ridership data is collected.
To further enhance transit service, staff are considering implementing an automated fare system in the future that would remove cash fareboxes from buses and transition the program to a cashless system.
Staff said additional engagement with transit users and the service provider would be needed before moving forward with implementation.
