Better Bus

What is the Better Bus Plan?

VIA’s Better Bus Plan is designed to deliver faster, more direct service on traditional bus routes. Through this plan, VIA is expanding both bus service and VIA Link zones by evaluating existing bus routes, identifying potential changes that could improve our transit system and creating more options to get you where you need to go.

Benefits of a Better Bus

Service improvements to VIA’s bus system, coupled with expanding on-demand VIA Link and exploring other innovative solutions, the Better Bus Plan will better connect residents and visitors to the things and places that are important to them, including jobs, events, education, health care and each other.

These improvements help to strengthen the fabric of the community and keep San Antonio moving.

Better Bus improvements will make 40% more job opportunities accessible by public transit during peak hours.

There will be 47% more grocery stores accessible during the day for low-income populations and 63% for minority populations.

More frequent service

Almost 20% more people have access to high frequency (20-minutes or better) transit service.

Increased access to the overall VIA system

Almost 50% of people experience an increase in their level of service during peak and midday periods.

Connections to education, jobs, health care, shopping and cultural destinations

There are over 40% more jobs accessible across the VIA service area within 30 minutes on transit.

Enhanced access to bus service

Low-income and minority communities have access to at least two more grocery stores during midday within 30-minutes on transit.

Minimal impacts to existing stops

Less than 1% of ridership would lose service to their existing bus stop.

Moving

People

Faster

Farther

Moving

People

Faster

Farther

Better Bus Plan Goals

The goal of the Better Bus Plan is to deliver faster, more direct service on traditional bus routes and expand the VIA Link on-demand service network.

Better Bus Plan goals align with the Keep San Antonio Moving (KSAM) principles of simple, direct, frequent and convenient transit:

Decrease wait times across network to 30 minutes or less

Provide more frequent service on key corridors

Connect people with faster, more direct service

Make service simpler and easier to use

Make transit available when and where it is needed

With the Better Bus Plan, every route would offer service every 30 minutes or less between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends.

Supporting Equitable Transit Access

Increasing accessibility and mobility is critical to ensuring equitable access to opportunity for residents of the San Antonio region.

A majority of VIA’s customers don’t have a car in their household, so they rely on affordable, efficient transit to get to work.

Driven by Community Input

Attend a community event or sign up for updates to stay informed and join the Keep SA Moving conversation.

Meeting the Demands of a Growing City

San Antonio is one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, and VIA is adapting to meet new demands. Through federal funding, VIA anaylzed how travel patterns shifted since the global COVID-19 pandemic and associated impacts on the VIA transit system.

Better Bus Plan Draft Bus Network Interactive Map

Use the map below to explore the Better Bus Plan’s improvements to VIA’s transit system.

If you are having trouble viewing the above map in your browser or on your mobile device, click here to view to the map in full screen.

*Project schedule subject to change

The improvements in the Better Bus Plan will be implemented in phases through 2030. For details on the current implement phase please visit, https://www.viainfo.net/servicechanges/.

Questions or comments?

Community input is helping shape the future of transit in San Antonio.