METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

San Antonio's VIA Rolls Out Largest Service Upgrade in Agency History

The improvements are made possible by VIA’s successful hiring of 107 additional full-time bus operators and accelerated progress on the Better Bus Plan.

January 9, 2026
San Antonio's VIA Rolls Out Largest Service Upgrade in Agency History

The updates, which affect 30 routes across the VIA service area, represent the next phase of the plan and are further supported by the voter-approved sales tax that VIA began receiving at the start of this year.

Credit: VIA Metropolitan Transit

2 min to read


San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit will launch the most extensive set of service improvements the agency has undertaken at once, taking effect January 12.

The improvements are made possible by VIA’s successful hiring of 107 additional full-time bus operators and accelerated progress on the Better Bus Plan — a multi-year initiative focused on improving frequency, reliability, and overall system performance — putting the agency ahead of the delivery schedule projected just one year ago. 

Ad Loading...

The updates, which affect 30 routes across the VIA service area, represent the next phase of the plan and are further supported by the voter-approved sales tax that VIA began receiving at the start of this year.

“This is the largest set of service improvements VIA has implemented at one time, and it directly supports our mission to connect people to what matters most,” said VIA President/CEO Jon Gary Herrera. “We remain committed to delivering a strong system with faster, more frequent, and more reliable service that expands access to the places our customers need to go every day.”

VIA’s Better Bus Plan

VIA is accelerating the implementation of sweeping changes to improve public transportation across the region.

The January changes build on the previous phases of the Better Bus Plan, implemented in April and August 2025. 

The improvements are designed to enhance the customer experience by providing more frequent, reliable service, better connectivity, and expanded access to high-demand areas throughout the region, VIA officials said.

Ad Loading...

The agency hosted a series of public hearings to provide more information on improvements and gather community feedback to ensure the initiatives met riders' needs.

More Bus

Spare logo for Fixed Route Platform
Technologyby StaffMay 19, 2026

Spare Expands AI-Native Operations Platform With Fixed-Route Capabilities

The launch marks a major milestone in Spare’s vision for unified transit operations.

Read More →
Bus manufacturing image from ENC
Busby Staff and News ReportsMay 18, 2026

ENC Lands Additional 10-Bus Order From Academy Bus

The latest purchase brings Academy Bus’ AXESS fleet orders to 35 vehicles as ENC continues expanding its heavy-duty transit lineup.

Read More →
ENC's Manufacturing facility
Busby Alex RomanMay 18, 2026

ENC Builds on Legacy with Major Investment, Strategic Reset

Following its 2024 acquisition, ENC is upgrading operations, expanding capacity, and aligning its approach to meet agency demand for reliability and on-time delivery. METRO spoke to John Obert, vice president of transit sales, to find out more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
King County Metro's bus depot with Schunk Transit pantograph charging infrastructure.

Biz Briefs: King County Metro Taps Schunk Transit Systems for Charging and More

Stay informed with these quick takes on the projects and companies driving progress across the transportation landscape.

Read More →
Community Transit's Bluebell bus celebrating the agency's 50-year milestone.
Busby StaffMay 15, 2026

Washington's Community Transit Celebrates 50-Year Milestone

The milestone highlights both the agency’s history and its evolving role in meeting the region’s growing mobility needs.

Read More →
The groundbreaking event for St. Cloud, Minnesota's Metro Bus facility.
Busby StaffMay 13, 2026

Minnesota's Metro Bus Breaks Ground on New Transit Facility

The new facility will augment the current Metro Bus Transit Center and overall system as part of new routes and service improvements known as Metro Bus Forward.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An NJ TRANSIT bus.
Managementby StaffMay 13, 2026

NJ TRANSIT to Expand Cleanliness, Safety, and Accessibility Under New Action Plan

The plan includes investments in cleaner vehicles and upgraded stations, NJT LiveView to provide real-time GPS tracking of train and light rail service, enhanced safety initiatives through a new Real Time Crime Center, and the debut of a redesigned NJ TRANSIT mobile app.

Read More →
Mayor Tim Keller in front of an ABQ RIDE microtransit vehicle
New Mobilityby StaffMay 12, 2026

ABQ RIDE Forward's Next Phase Sets Target Date

ABQ RIDE Forward is the first transit system overhaul in more than 25 years. This latest phase marks 15% completion of the 16-phase rollout, which will continue over the next several years.

Read More →
METRO Biz Briefs cover photo

STV Launches Power Practice and More in Biz Briefs

In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at the latest news from SilverRide, Complete Coach Works, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover for Part 2 with AC Transit's Cecil Blandon
ManagementMay 8, 2026

Bus Tech Talk: Part 2 with AC Transit's Cecil Blandon

In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.

Read More →