Norwalk Transit District redesigns bus network

On Aug. 11, the Norwalk Transit District (NTD) began services on its redesigned bus network. The new  bus network was designed to simplify all WHEELS and shuttle routes into one network. 

With the redesigned network, instead of a NTD route changing based on the time of day or day of the week, Route 1, Route 2 and Route 3 now run seven days a week and until 11:00 p.m. on weekdays. 

The table below shows the new names of the bus routes for all of the WHEEL services:

The table below shows the new names of the bus routes for the shuttle services:

According to NTD, the new network is centered on three hubs, where riders can make transfers between bus routes and to other services. Those three hubs are: 

• South Norwalk Station: Routes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 and Metro-North Railroad’s New Haven Line 
• Burnell Boulevard WHEELS Hub: Routes 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 and the Coastal Link  
• East Norwalk Station: Routes 1, 4 and 5 and Metro-North's New Haven Line  

NTD says there are no changes to the app-based Wheels 2U ridesharing service that takes riders curb-to-curb within city limits. According to the agency, existing paratransit customers are continuing to schedule new trips, even if they live in an area no longer served by WHEELS service.  

The agency adds that due to limited resources, during the redesign phase, as part of the NTD Ahead process, the project team evaluated how effectively the agency provided service across the community. Some routes were discontinued due to a limited number of riders, but those areas continue to be served by Wheels2U. 

In a statement to Mass Transit magazie, NTD CEO Matt Pentz celebrated the launch of the new bus network.

"Launching our new bus network was very exciting for Norwalk Transit and generated renewed interest in the growing city of Norwalk. Despite an extensive marketing campaign plan, it was a challenge educating the public about the changes. We put lots of energy into organizing ambassadors in our service area to support the public," Pentz said. "Even though change is inevitably hard, we are pleased that our riders learned quickly from our ambassadors and the plethora of support materials we made accessible on the streets. It has been exciting to see our passengers adapt from our previous centralized pulse system to multiple mini-hubs and routes intended to provide better connectivity with the trains. Our riders began to recognize the benefit of having 15 minute frequency on our main corridors and began to communicate positive feedback on route design, boarding locations and increased service, especially on the weekends.

"Norwalk’s new bus network is streamlined and simplified with fewer routes and more consistent service overall. We were fortunate to launch with a free fare introductory period and are currently seeing ridership grow. As we continue to fine tune and improve upon our efforts, we are identifying signage gaps and problem solving around some granular details based upon valuable rider feedback. Overall, collaborating with multiple stakeholders, prioritizing teamwork among the NTD staff and intentionally incorporating our mission of Moving Southwest Connecticut Forward sets the stage for even more progress ahead."