The Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority will implement a series of route and schedule changes beginning Monday, January 5, 2026, affecting multiple bus lines across Berks County.
The changes were approved by the South Central Transit Authority (SCTA) and are intended to improve on-time performance, safety, and access to employment centers, medical facilities, and community destinations. According to BARTA, the adjustments were developed using rider feedback gathered through phone calls, emails, social media, outreach events, and public hearings held in October 2025.
Below is a route-by-route breakdown of what riders can expect.
Route 1 – Temple via 5th Street
Time points at 5th Street and Crescent Avenue will be eliminated in both inbound and outbound directions. BARTA said this change is designed to improve schedule reliability. Additional time point adjustments will also be made throughout the route to help buses stay on time.
Route 8 – Reiffton / Shelbourne Square / Birdsboro
Several notable changes are coming to Route 8:
- Four additional afternoon trips to Birdsboro will be added between 12:50 p.m. and 5 p.m., increasing service during peak midday and early evening hours.
- The 5:15 a.m. trip will no longer serve Boscov’s Distribution Center. Instead, service to the distribution center will shift to the 7:15 a.m. trip, aligning service more closely with employee shift times.
- Time points along the route will be adjusted to improve on-time performance.
Route 9 – Grill / Kenhorst
Route 9 will now provide inbound and outbound service to Berks Nature, located at 575 St. Bernardine Street in Reading, improving access to the environmental and educational facility for riders traveling in both directions.
Route 10 – Brookline
Evening service will be expanded on Route 10, with inbound-only service to Shillington Plaza after 6:30 p.m. This change is expected to benefit riders traveling to shopping and employment destinations later in the day.
Route 14 – Wernersville via Sinking Spring
Trips marked with an “A” note on the schedule will no longer serve Wernersville State Hospital when traveling from Womelsdorf. Riders using these trips should review updated schedules to determine alternate travel options if the hospital is their destination.
Route 15 – Berkshire Mall
Route 15 will undergo both timing and routing changes:
- Schedule adjustments will be made to improve on-time performance.
- For safety reasons, buses will no longer operate directly through the Park Road and Hill Avenue intersection as previously routed.
- Instead, buses will travel Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue, then Penn Avenue, a change BARTA said improves safety for both riders and drivers.
Route 16 – Broadcasting Square
Similar safety-related changes will be made to Route 16:
- The route will be altered near Park Road and Hill Avenue, with buses traveling Hill Avenue to Reading Avenue to Penn Avenue.
- On the final trip of the night at 11:05 p.m., service will be extended to include the R. M. Palmer Company, improving late-night access for employees.
Route 17 – Glenside / Airport / Berks Heim
Route 17 will begin serving Tower Behavioral Health, but only on inbound trips. Outbound service to the facility will not be provided under the updated schedule.
Route 22 – Lyon Station / East Penn – Deka
All trips on Route 22 will be extended from Deka to Kutztown University, providing direct transit access to the campus throughout the day.
BARTA officials said the changes were approved at the SCTA October board meeting following a 30-day public comment period and input from the 2025 Route and Schedule Team, which included operators, maintenance staff, and administrators.
Updated schedules are available online at www.bartabus.com, and riders are encouraged to review the changes carefully before traveling.
