The Afton Express, a commuter bus running from the Valley to Charlottesville, is asking users to weigh in on potential revisions to its schedule.
The BRITE Bus has stops in Staunton, Fishersville and Waynesboro and connects to Charlottesville in the morning and afternoon.
The Valley stops include Staunton Crossing, Augusta Health and Waynesboro’s park-and-ride lot in Town Center. In Charlottesville, current stops include the University of Virginia, UVA Health, Amtrak, the Omni Hotel, Downtown Transit Center, 5th Street Station and Wegmans.
Currently, the bus route offers morning trips from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and afternoon trips between 2:40 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The proposed revisions include:
- Better alignment with hourly employer start times – trips that arrive just before the top of the hour for 6 a.m., 7 a.m., 8 a.m., and 9 a.m.
- More even spacing and intervals between trips
- Additional coverage during high-demand times (two options for those who end work at 5 p.m. at UVA)
- Two express routes
- Would serve all three Valley stops on all trips
The Afton Express commuter bus route launched in September 2021. Minor adjustments have been made over the years, but this is the first time significant changes have been considered.
A feedback form is available online, and users may weigh in now through Oct. 11. After public feedback is considered, the new route schedule is anticipated to begin in early November.
The Afton Express is managed by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission and operated by Virginia Regional Transit.
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Crystal Graham
