ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford Mass Transit District says it will be reducing the number of passengers on city buses and waiving fares for all service, beginning November 8th.

RMTD says it is undertaking the measures due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the service area.

• Restricting vehicle capacity to a maximum of 14 on any given vehicle.
• Requiring all passengers to be seated.
• Returning to rear door boarding on all fixed routes.
• Waiving fares on all service including paratransit service.
• Implementing changes to its weekday and Saturday Fixed Routes.

Effective Sunday, November 8, 2020, the following changes to service will go into effect:

• RMTD will suspend its current and regular daily fixed route service, Monday thru Saturday.
• Instead of the current fixed route service, RMTD will run its night and Sunday route service during the day, Monday thru Saturday. This includes routes numbered, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45.
• This core service will run on 30-minute headway during the week.
• Night service and Sunday service will remain unchanged
• In addition to this core service, RMTD will also run the modified the #16 and #17 City Loop routes that ran in June and July between North Towne Mall and Rockford Career College, starting at 6:30 am weekdays and 8:20 on Saturdays.

In an effort to not adversely impact riders going to large employment centers, RMTD will also run the following routes during the day –

• RMTD will run #7 S. Main, Monday thru Saturday to accommodate workers at UPS and Amazon.
• The #6 Kilburn route will remain and will run Monday thru Saturday
• The #20 Alpine Crosstown will run its regular service ending at 4:50 pm Material and Riverside on Saturdays.
• The #22 N. 2nd route will run its regular service schedule in Loves Park
• RMTD will continue to run service into Belvidere as scheduled.

RMTD says these service changes will be in effect as long as Region 1 is operating under Tier 1 and Tier 2 mitigation efforts are no longer in effect for a sustained period of time.

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