Butler Transit Authority is adding four Saturday morning bus routes starting June 3 for a trial period. John Paul, executive director of the authority, says Route 1 on Saturdays has been “very, very busy.” Butler Eagle file photo

An increased demand for transportation has led the Butler Transit Authority to add more route options for this summer.

The transit authority board of directors voted at a meeting Tuesday, May 16, to add four Saturday morning bus routes starting June 3 for a seven-month trial period.

John Paul, executive director of the authority, said Route 1 on Saturdays has been “very, very busy,” so the authority is scheduling four Route 5 runs for morning service.

“We’ll see if this maintains or if we increase ridership,” Paul said. “ We’re just taking the schedule for Route 5 ... and moving the first four runs over to Saturday.”

Included in Route 5 are stops at Cliffside Apartments, Terrace Apartments, the VA Butler Healthcare, Butler Commons, Butler Crossings, Moraine Pointe Plaza and Pullman Square.

Paul also said the authority had more riders in April compared to last April. Local service provided 12,847 rides in April, an increase of 457 from April 2022.

One potential driver to the increase in riders, Paul said, was the half-priced 25-day ride pass, which the authority sold for $20 in April.

"We sold four of those in March,“ Paul said. ”When we did it with the half price using the app, we sold 54.“

The Commuter, which operates between Butler and Pittsburgh, offered free rides throughout April, it had 448 more trips compared to April 2022.

“I did the math, approximately 22 more passengers if they rode five days a week,” Paul said. “Most people aren’t riding five days a week, but again, we’re going to track this. It’s the hope to build ridership, we’ll see if it works.”

More information on Route 5 is available at www.butlertransitauthority.com.