MTS service improvements include increased Trolley service on nights and weekends
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San Diego – Today, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) officials celebrated the launch of service on the Route 910 Overnight Express. Starting Sunday, Jan. 26, at 12:28 a.m. MTS will officially become a 24-hour operation, connecting San Ysidro and downtown San Diego during the late night and early morning hours on the new overnight bus route.
“For the first time in the agency’s history, MTS will have an overnight bus service that will benefit countless late night travelers and service-industry employees that live on both sides of the border,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember, District 3. “Route 910 will provide a crucial link between downtown San Diego and San Ysidro, providing riders with a reliable, affordable, and convenient transportation option.”
The new route will help provide a link along the busiest transit corridor in the region. Route 910 will operate during the hours when the UC San Diego Blue Line Trolley cannot run service. MTS shares part of the rail line with heavy freight companies overnight and federal regulations limit the agency’s ability to run service at the same time.
“This new route is specifically designed to meet the demand for service for late-night travelers or early bird commuters,” said John McCann, MTS Board Member and Mayor of Chula Vista. “It will offer residents commuting along this corridor more ways to travel. It will offer more flexibility with their schedules which means less time commuting and more time with their families.”
Route 910 will be an express route, serving limited stops between the U.S.-Mexico border and downtown San Diego, making the route time competitive and more effective for users. Route 910 will have stops at or near the Iris Avenue Transit Center, Palomar Street Transit Center, 24th Street Transit Center, near the Harborside and Barrio Logan Trolley Stations, and multiple stops in downtown San Diego.
“The Route 910 Overnight Express is a gamechanger for our region, benefiting everyone on both sides of the border,” said Vivian Moreno, MTS Board Member and San Diego City Councilmember, District 8. “More than 50% of pedestrians crossing the border at San Ysidro use public transit. Route 910 will build on the positive economic impact cross border commuters already provide for our region.”
Route 910 will operate from approximately 12:30 to 5 a.m. between the San Ysidro Transit Center and downtown San Diego. The route will run on a 30-minute frequency in both directions and has a 50-minute ride time between end points.
MTS will have a dedicated security team that will patrol all Route 910 stops during hours of operation. In addition to the Route 910 roaming security team, a mobile security team is dedicated to patrolling Trolley stations in downtown San Diego, and another team to UC San Diego Blue Line stations in South County (from Barrio Logan to San Ysidro). Riders can contact MTS Security 24/7 at 619-595-4960 via text message or call if assistance is ever needed.
In addition to the new overnight bus route, MTS announced major improvements to Trolley service on nights and weekends.
Starting Sunday, Jan. 26, the Green Line will offer 15-minute service all day, every day. The UC San Diego Blue Line will increase to 15-minute service after 9:30 p.m. between downtown San Diego and UTC nightly. And the Orange Line will increase to 15-minute service weekend mornings, giving riders 15-minute service until 7 p.m.
Transit improvements at MTS are made possible in part by Senate Bill 125, an initiative helping California’s transit systems recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
About MTS
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 92 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. MTS is a leader in advancing initiatives to create a greener, cleaner and better-connected transit system in San Diego. Each weekday more than 238,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system taking people to work, school, health appointments and other essential trips. In FY 2024, MTS served more than 75 million riders. For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on how you can use public transportation, go to www.sdmts.com.
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