Metrobus has made some significant changes to its routes to accommodate an increase in ridership.

The east end on-demand service has been replaced by Route 29, a new, fixed route servicing Bonaventure Road, Freshwater Road, Mount Scio Road and MUN’s Signal Hill campus.

Route 23 – from the Avalon Mall to Stavanger Drive is now an all-day service, and a second bus has been added to Route 14 – from MUN to Airport Heights offering increased morning and evening service.

Metrobus General Manager Judy Powell says the changes were necessary when ridership bounced back after the pandemic, surging well above pre-COVID numbers.

She says they’re also eyeing the Southlands area.

She says Southlands was serviced when it was first developed, but didn’t do well at the time. Powell says many families in the area now have children who are university age and are interested in routes to get to MUN and CNA.

For now, they’re monitoring the situation and are waiting for the connection of Southlands Boulevard into Galway. “Once that happens, we’ll certainly review the service in that area.”