Albuquerque will roll out its biggest bus overhaul in nearly 30 years on Saturday, Dec. 13, when nine routes shift to a new map designed for a new era of the transit system. The changes will affect thousands of riders across the city.
Officials announced the changes Wednesday at the Montaño Transit Center, launching Phase 1 of ABQ RIDE Forward. The multi-year redesign aims to increase frequency, add weekend service and address decades-old routing issues. The goal is to bring service closer to 2019 levels and match how people travel today. Riders now have 10 days to get ready for the new routes.
“We are modernizing how Albuquerque moves with ABQ RIDE Forward,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “Not only are we bringing better bus service to the community, we are building upon our other major improvements in safety and cleanliness to also deliver consistent transit throughout the day.”
Phase 1 covers about 10.6% of the 16-phase plan expected to be fully rolled out by late 2029. Route 5 on Montgomery, Route 8 on Menaul Blvd., Route 11 on Lomas Blvd. and Route 198 on 98th Street and Dennis Chavez Blvd. will run more often, with weekday buses arriving every 30 minutes instead of every 40 to 60.
Route 8 will also reroute through Old Town and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center area. Route 10 on North Fourth Street will be split into two versions — a long route running hourly to the Raymond Sanchez Community Center and a short route which runs every 30 minutes to the Montaño Transit Center.
Route 53 on Isleta Blvd. and Route 54 to Bridge/Westgate will add Sunday service for the first time, giving riders full seven-day coverage. Route 66 on Central Ave. will have a slight drop from every 25 minutes to 30-minute service.
ABQ RIDE will discontinue Route 36 on 12th Street and Rio Grande Blvd. and replace it with ABQ RIDE Connect, the free door-to-door microtransit service that will also add Saturday hours.
Phase 1 adds 380 vehicle hours a week, supported by 12 new drivers and three more 40-foot buses.
The redesign aims to restore operations to 95% of 2019 service levels and improve access for riders who rely on transit. The plan doubles the share of residents who live within a half-mile of frequent service, jumping from 11% to 22% citywide.
Job access is expected to rise 39% on average, according to city planning documents. In neighborhoods with high social vulnerability, access to jobs within 45 minutes will increase by 82%.
Today’s system runs at about 63% of its 2019 service levels because of the pandemic and staffing shortages. Even so, ridership hit 7.3 million in 2024, about 80% of pre-pandemic demand.
Safety improvements have also shown progress. Reactive crime calls on transit dropped 47% and serious incidents decreased 27% in the most recent quarter compared to the prior year, according to city data.
Jarrett Walker + Associates and Toole Design developed the new network after three years of public outreach. In a survey of 730 respondents, 78% said the proposed map would be better for Albuquerque.
“Throughout two years of engagement with thousands of riders, stakeholders, and community members, our consulting team consistently heard support for both renewed investment in transit and strategic changes to make the City’s bus network more useful and sustainable over the long-term,” said Toole Design Market Lead Aaron Sussman. “The feedback underscored significant shifts in travel behavior and a strong desire for expanded evening and weekend service. We are confident that the upcoming service enhancements will deliver a more reliable and accessible ABQ RIDE system that better meets the needs of community members.”
All changes will be reflected in the Transit app, Google Maps and at ABQRIDE.com. Riders can call (505) 243-RIDE for assistance.
Effective December 13, 2025, the following bus routes will change:
- Route 5
- Frequency Increase: your bus will now arrive every 30 minutes instead of every 40 minutes on weekdays only. On weekends, service will continue to be every 40 minutes.
- Route 8
- Frequency Increase: your bus will now arrive every 30 minutes instead of every 40 minutes.
- Route Change:
- Eastbound: The bus will go from the Alvarado Transportation Center north on 2nd St., west on Lomas, north on Rio Grande, east on Indian School, north on 12th, and back to the regular route.
- Westbound: The bus will go west on Menaul, south on 12th, west on Indian School, south on Rio Grande, east on Lomas, and south on 2nd St. back into the Alvarado Transportation Center.
- The route will no longer go north on 5th St. and south on 6th St.
- Route 10
- Route Change:
- The long route runs every 60 minutes and goes all the way to Raymond G. Sanchez Community Center (north of Alameda).
- The short route runs every 30 minutes and ends at the Montano Transit Center.
- Both versions travel through downtown on Silver and 5th/6th Streets and go to the Montano Transit Center, but only the long route continues farther north.
- Route Change:
- Route 11
- Frequency Increase: your bus will now arrive every 30 minutes instead of every 40 minutes on weekdays only. On weekends, service will be every 40 minutes.
- Route 36
- Route Discontinuation:
- This route will be replaced with ABQ RIDE Connect’s Rio Grande Service Zone which will now feature Saturday service from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.. This microtransit service provides door-to-door rides for free and can connect you with the wider bus route network.
- Route 8 will provide service on Indian School west of 12th St. (near the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center) and Rio Grande south of Indian School (Old Town area and Sawmill Market).
- Route Discontinuation:
- Route 53
- New Service on Sunday: this route will run every day, including Sundays, every 60 minutes. On weekdays, Route 53 will run from 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. and on weekends, this route will run from 7:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Saturday) or 6:00 p.m. (Sunday).
- Frequency Decrease: your bus will now arrive every 60 minutes instead of every 45 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays.
- Route Change:
- Southbound: From downtown, the bus will go further west on Bridge, south on Goff, continue south onto Isleta, and back to the regular route.
- Northbound: From Isleta at Arenal the bus will go north on Goff, east on Bridge, and back to the regular route.
- Route 54
- New Service on Sunday: this route will run every day, including Sundays, every 60 minutes. On weekdays, Route 54 will run from 6:15 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on weekends, this route will run from 7:15 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. (Saturday) or 5:30 p.m. (Sunday).
- Frequency Decrease: your bus will now arrive every 60 minutes instead of every 50 minutes on weekdays.
- Route Change:
- Westbound: From Benavides and 98th St., the bus will go west on Benavides, southeast on Del Rey, south on De Anza, west on Gibson, south on Messina, west on Amole Mesa, south on 118th St., and will end on Dennis Chavez by the Atrisco Heritage Academy High School.
- Eastbound: From Atrisco Heritage Academy High School, the bus will go east on Dennis Chavez, north on 98th St., west on Amole Mesa, north on Messina, east on Gibson, north on De Anza, northwest on Del Rey, east on Benavides, and back to regular route.
- Related Changes
- This route will no longer stop at the Central and Unser Transit Center. You can instead take Route 198 which will run every 30 minutes on 98th St. and Central to the Central and Unser Transit Center.
- To get around this area, you can also try ABQ RIDE Connect’s Southwest Mesa Service Zone which will now feature Saturday service from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.. This microtransit service provides door-to-door rides for free and can connect you with the wider bus route network.
- Route 66
- Frequency Decrease: your bus will now arrive every 30 minutes every day instead of every 25 minutes.
- Riders traveling from downtown who need to continue past the Central and Unser Transit Center can remain on the bus to 98th St. for continued service via Route 198.
- Route 198
- Frequency Increase: your bus will now arrive every 30 minutes every day instead of every 50 minutes.
- Riders traveling eastbound from 98th St. can remain on the bus at the Central and Unser Transit center for continued service via Route 66.