NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville's public transportation system is set for a significant expansion as WeGo plans to increase its bus service across Davidson County.
Currently, about 200 public buses serve Nashville riders on busy weekdays, but WeGo officials say that's not enough to meet demand.
Its "Choose How You Move" initiative will fund additional bus stops and more frequent service beginning in early July, marking a substantial improvement for public transit users.
WeGo spokesperson Eric Melcher said they will add over 30 new buses to the system.
"Every single bus has on it a satellite tracking so we can tell where every bus is in Davidson County up to just a few feet," Melcher said.
While the buses currently being serviced predate the "Choose How You Move initiative," newly ordered vehicles will be partially funded through the program.
"We just ordered a batch of buses, 25 of them, that will get delivered in September of 2026," Melcher said.
The timeline reflects the lengthy process involved in acquiring new public transit vehicles.
"This is the start of it, so certainly in the coming fiscal years we will start to see Choose How You Move money directly into getting new buses," Melcher said.
These buses come with substantial price tags, starting at $200,000 for the smaller models, while the larger vehicles can cost up to $1 million each.
Melcher explained that after ordering, the buses take one to two years to arrive, after which WeGo outfits them with specialized technology.
"That ties into Choose How You Move because it ties into traffic signals and everything else," Melcher said.
The new buses represent just one component of a broader vision for Nashville's public transportation future.
Starting July 6, many routes will begin running more frequently. For example, Transit 6 Lebanon Pike will pick up riders every 30 minutes during midday hours instead of the current hourly schedule.
WeGo said it will continue to recruit additional bus operators to support the expanded service. For more information about all route frequency changes, residents can visit the WeGo website and search for "frequency" to access a complete list.
Share your public transit stories and how more frequent service might impact your daily commute by emailing kim.rafferty@newschannel5.com. Your feedback could help our future coverage of Nashville's evolving transportation system.
This story was reported by Kim Rafferty and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Kim and our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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