GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Beginning December 30, 2024, The Rapid will introduce improvements to weekday Route 33 service frequency by adding service to close the current mid-day gap. The Rapid will add trips to provide all-day service with departures at 10:43 a.m., 11:43 a.m. and 12:43 p.m. from Rapid Central Station to the Walker Industrial loop. These trips are added as the Rapid Connect On-Demand pilot program in Walker and Kentwood concludes.
In addition, Route 33 will see four new trips running in the opposite direction along the Walker Industrial loop during the morning and evening peak hours. This change provides customers with the flexibility to take the most efficient route to their destination. These new trips will offer improved access and shorter commute times with 30-minute service to the Walker Industrial loop from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Another improvement The Rapid is implementing will address delays caused by evening traffic volumes. Starting at 5 pm, the evening departures from Rapid Central Station and Kentwood Station will shift (“knockback”) by five minutes to assist customers in making their transfer connections. For example, beginning on December 30, a bus currently scheduled to depart Rapid Central Station at 5:15 p.m. will now depart at 5:20 p.m., 5:30 p.m. to 5:35 p.m., and will stay 5 minutes later for the rest of the evening during the Winter 2025 schedule.
These adjustments will improve schedule reliability, minimize delays that carry over to the rest of the evening service, and provide customers and operators with more time to make connections during the evening rush period. These improvements reflect The Rapid’s ongoing commitment to providing a dependable, customer-focused transit experience.
The updated schedule is available online, and Transit app and MyStop will reflect these changes on the December 30, 2024, start date.