ITHACA, N.Y. — With summer almost here, TCAT has announced some route adjustments for the summer season plus a new route that will better connect West Hill residents with shopping.
Beginning Sunday, TCAT will operate the new Route 14S, or the “West Hill Shopper,” which will have direct service between Overlook Apartments and Cayuga Meadows and Walmart, Tops and Wegmans. The new route will eliminate the need for West Hill area riders to transfer downtown.
The route is being launched Sunday, May 27, which is also when the summer service period begins.
Related: TCAT rolls out new fleet of buses
Route 14S will operate seven days a week and will provide four-and-a-half trips inbound and outbound, with stops at Wegmans, Tops and Walmart.
“Our West Hill passengers will no longer have to contend with switching buses at the Commons, a process that is even more burdensome for riders who are carrying shopping bags or traveling with foldable shopping carts,” Service Development Manager Matt Yarrow said in a news release.
The route is operating on a trial basis for now, and TCAT will be looking at how much the route is used to justify continuing to operate it.
Reduced summer service will be in effect from Sunday until Aug. 18. The TCAT Summer Guide 2018 is available online and printed versions will be available soon at TCAT bus shelters, including the Green and Seneca Street stations.
A few highlights of the summer route changes include:
- Route 14S: is a new pilot route to better connect West Hill riders with southwest shopping centers to avoid the inconvenience of downtown transfers.
- Route 75: additional Saturday 5:15 p.m. added from Shops at Ithaca Mall to better serve TC3 summer students.
- Route 22: Monday-Friday summer service to and from Cass Park, Cayuga Nature Center and Taughannock State Park to resume Mon., June 25, and end Fri., Aug. 17.
Below is a detailed list provided by TCAT of other specific changes to routes:
- Route 10: Minor timing changes.
- Route 11: Timing changes on all trips. Weekday trips now offer interlined or one-seat rides via Route 14 (West Hill/Cayuga Medical Center) and Route 51 (Collegetown; Cornell; and East Hill Plaza.) On weekends, Route 11 will continue to offer one-seat ride with Route 70. Service ends earlier. No late-night loop.
- Route 13: Saturday trips moved 3 minutes earlier.
- Route 14: Minor timing changes on select trips.
- Route 15: Minor timing changes on select Saturday trips.
- Route 17: Minor timing changes.
- Route 20: Minor timing changes.
- Route 21: Minor timing changes. There are now 4 outbound demand trips; if requested bus operator will drop passengers off at Juniper Manor. (Inbound, Juniper Manor stop will continue to be served by 3 trips.) In addition, passengers can flag the bus on Cliff St., between Hopkins Place and the Cayuga Inlet, now deemed a flag-stop zone.
- Route 30: Many timing changes. Route will no longer offer one-seat ride with Route 11. No weekend Route 30 (please see Route 70 for weekend service.)
- Route 31: Last outbound trip leaves 15 minutes earlier; 10:15 p.m. from Green @ Commons.
- Route 32: Timing changes. Due to low ridership, route will no longer serve Tompkins County Health Department; riders are advised to use stop at Brown @ Culligan. No Friday-only or late trip from airport. Added 10 p.m. outbound trip for summer.
- Route 36: Minor timing changes on select trips. Ludlowville outbound direction will be demand stop only.
- Route 43: Minor timing changes on select trips.
- Route 51: Timing changes with trips moved 3 minutes earlier. Route will offer one-seat ride with Route 11 on weekdays. Select weekend trips will serve Maple @ Maplewood Park in both directions.
- Route 52: Timing changes. Last Saturday trip does not serve Cornell.
- Route 65: Timing changes on afternoon trips. Later-morning trips added in both directions.
- Route 67: Timing adjustments on weekday midday trips and Sunday evening trip.
- Route 72: No 11:25 p.m. trip. No 10:15 trip at airport.
- Route 81: Several a.m. trips cut for summer; Route 82 will service A lot all day long.
- Route 82: Timing adjustments. Route frequency reduced from 10 to every 15 minutes for summer.
- Route 83: No service. Route does not operate in summer.
- Route 90: No 1:56 a.m. trip from Seneca @ Commons on weekdays, but will run on Saturdays.
- Route 92: No late-night route. No Saturday daytime service. No Sunday service in summer.
- Route 93: No service. Route does not operate in summer.
For more information, visit tcatbus.com.