South Central Transit Authority (SCTA) has approved Route & Schedule changes for Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) to be implemented on Monday, January 5, 2026. The approved changes were approved at the October SCTA Monthly Board meeting. The approved changes were proposed for review and consideration based off compiled customer comments submitted through phone calls, emails, social media comments and outreach events. The approved changes have been discussed and proposed from meetings with the 2025 Route and Schedule Team, consisting of Operator, Maintenance and Administrative Staff.
A 30-day comment period was held for customers and the public to review the proposed changes. Two public hearing sessions were held on Monday, October 13, 2025.
A route-by-route description of the proposed changes is as follows:
Route 1 – Temple via 5th Street:
Approved to eliminate time point outbound & inbound at 5th Street & Crescent Avenue. Approved to adjust time points to improve on-time performance.
Route 8 – Reiffton/Shelbourne Square/Birdsboro:
Approved to add 4 trips to Birdsboro in afternoon between 12:50 PM and 5 PM. Approved tonot serve Boscov’s Distribution Center on the 5:15 AM trip, instead serve it on the 7:15 AM trip to better serve employee shifts. Approved to adjust time points to improve on-time performance.
Route 9 – Grill/Kenhorst:
Approved to provide service to Berks Nature, 575 St. Bernardine Street, Reading inbound and outbound.
Route 10 – Brookline:
Approved to serve Shillington Plaza in evenings after 6:30 PM, inbound only
Route 14 – Wernersville via Sinking Spring:
Approved to not serve Wernersville State Hospital from Womelsdorf on trips marked with “A” note on schedule.
Route 15 – Berkshire Mall:
Approved to adjust time to improve on time performance. Approved to change route at Park Road & Hill Avenue to improve safety for customers and drivers. Approved to travel Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue to Penn Avenue.
Route 16 – Broadcasting Square:
Approved to change route at Park Road & Hill Avenue for safety. Approved to change route at Park Road & Hill Avenue to improve safety for customers and drivers. Approved to travel Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue to Penn Avenue. Approved to add service to R. M. Palmer Company on last trip at 11:05 PM.
Route 17 – Glenside/Airport/Berks Heim:
Approved to serve Tower Behavioral Health on inbound trips only.
Route 22 – Lyon Station/East Penn – Deka:
Approved to extend route from Deka to Kutztown University for all trips.
Copies of the approved schedules are available at www.bartabus.com. New BARTA RideGuides will be printed and available by December 22, 2025.
