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.