VA: Hampton Roads Transit looks to shift Newport News away from low-ridership bus routes

Hampton Roads Transit is working to expand its regional microtransit program in Newport News, where it has piloted an on demand rideshare program for the past year.

The program allows passengers to make ride reservations through Hampton Roads Transit’s OnDemand app, booking a van to pick them up at designated bus stops within walking distance in no more than 15 minutes. Those trips are shared for multiple riders and allow residents to become connected to larger public transit routes.

But as part of HRT’s plan to right-size transit service, the regional transit authority wants to also eliminate some bus routes in the city, HRT Chief Planning and Development Officer Ray Amoruso said as he gave an overview of the plan to Newport News City Council on Tuesday. Those routes would include east-west local routes that connect to larger fixed routes, or routes like the 106 that heavily overlap with other routes. However, Amoruso said the routes marked for elimination account for 3% of all boardings in HRT’s system.

“We won’t leave anybody behind if a route is recommended for elimination,” Amoruso said.

Amoruso added policies would be changed to ensure passengers would only pay $2 for their entire trip, regardless of whether they transferred from a microtransit vehicle to a larger fixed route.

HRT launched the pilot microtransit program in Virginia Beach and Newport News using a $3.5 million state grant last year with the goal of increasing ridership by 20%.

The program required a 20% match from participating localities, and additional investments for any expansions to the program. HRT is proposing Newport News add two additional zones to offer the transportation service in addition to its existing pilot zone, which Amoruso said is an opportunity for the city to improve a bus system that has fallen behind in recent years.

“First and foremost, we’re always looking to increase ridership by putting service where it’s most needed,” Amoruso said.

Amoruso added part of that process is balancing its current routes in Newport News and its available resources like bus operators and funds.

According to Amoruso, HRT missed more than 1,200 trips in June, equating to 40 trips per day across the seven cities, due to it being understaffed. Additionally, operator retention averages between a year and 18 months.

HRT calculates the average operating cost per passenger of local routes at nearly $20. Two routes Newport News currently funds, Route 110 from Hampton Transit Center to Virginia Peninsula Community College and Route 111 from the community college to Woodland Lane, both exceed that regional benchmark. The average operating cost for regional routes that span several cities is close to $12 per passenger.

Amoruso said the pilot program has lowered operating costs for fixed routes across the region from $126 per hour to $72 per hour.

According to Amoruso, improved cost efficiency will also help Newport News attract state funding to support operating costs.

“The more money you get from the state, the less we have to come to the cities for,” Amoruso said. “The state likes to see effective and efficient service.”

HRT is presenting the agency’s optimization plan to other Hampton Roads cities in the coming weeks. The plan will be workshopped with public input until approval in April 2026, and implementation will begin in October 2026.

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