NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — NewsChannel 5 is getting you ready for major changes on Metro's public transit system that go into effect this weekend.
Starting Sunday, WeGo Public Transit bus drivers will no longer make change if you bring more than the $2 fare.
They also won't accept the old magnetic trip cards.
Instead, WeGo is urging everyone to use either exact cash, the Quickticket app on their phone or the reloadable Quickticket card.
"It allows people to get on the buses quicker," explained WeGo spokesperson Eric Melcher, "that means the buses can arrive where they need to on time and all that’s going to improve service. And we’ve already seen that with Quickticket so far and we expect that will be increasing and this is really the next step for it."
Melcher said WeGo has been posting signs and working to make riders aware of the change for months. He says if you bring a 5-dollar bill on the bus, you won't get $3 back anymore. But riders will save money if they instead use that cash at WeGo Central or retailers like Walgreens and CVS to load onto a Quicticket card. Compared with the old magnetic trip cards
"Instead of worry about a 31-day pass or a 7-day pass or all these old magnetic passes we won't be taking anymore they can do stuff on Quickticket and they get their best deal automatically," Melcher said.
And a major change is coming to bus routes as well. WeGo always solicits rider feedback on routes, and its fall service change going into effect October 1st will include major routes running one hour later.
"On weekdays and Saturdays on our most frequent routes we’ll go 'til 1:15 am," said Melcher. "Currently it's been 12:15 am and that’s a little tight for folks that might be in a situation where they are just getting out of a concert or a game or something so we really think this will make it much better for folks who are able to go to events downtown and be able to get back home in plenty of time."
WeGo reports overall ridership has rebounded to around 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels. But some busier routes have surpassed numbers from 2019.
It's currently working on new transit centers in North Nashville and Antioch with future plans for a center on the East Bank and even the Sobro area. These centers offer air conditioning and wifi and will serve as neighborhood hubs in order to increase crosstown trips and save riders time by not connecting through downtown.
