LANCASTER – Service changes are being implemented today by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority. AVTA began its new Route 1 Express Service this morning to help meet an increased demand for transportation along 10th Street West. The transition process appears to be running smoothly, but AVTA officials are prepared to handle an increased level of inquiries.
The Route 1 Express is now moving customers more quickly to five desirable destination points in Lancaster and Palmdale. The northbound bus on the Express begins at the University of the Antelope Valley and ends at the Palmdale Transportation Center with a similar returning southbound route. There are three additional stops at Lancaster City Park, 10th Street West and Avenue M, and the Antelope Valley Mall.
“We believe that adding two buses to Route 1 to provide express service will relieve overcrowding on our most popular routes and enable our customers to travel more quickly to the valley’s most popular destinations,” said AVTA’s Executive Director Julie Austin in a statement. The new Route 1 Express is now operating with two buses, and customers can anticipate pick up at each stop every 45 minutes.
AVTA’s Route 8 has been discontinued for lack of ridership. The route, which had served the region around Antelope Valley College, duplicated other AVTA service routes and ran with as few as five customers per hour.
Route 9 has also been discontinued as it duplicated services already provided by the Lake Los Angeles Express. Students from Pete Knight High School who may have relied on Route 9 to get to school can now rely on AVTA’s new supplemental route. This route is now serving Pete Knight High in accordance with bell schedules making the service more convenient for students.
Finally, Route 6 has been modified to better serve the community of Sun Village.
All service changes went into effect this morning.
(Information via press release by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority)