DART’s Beach Bus service returns next week.
The beach service starts on Monday, May 19, and will operate daily with increased frequencies through Labor Day, September 1.
The increased frequencies this year come after ridership of the Beach Bus service was up 4% last year over the 2023 which is about 10,000 more riders.
Albert Loyola is the chief customer experience officer at DART, and he says last year’s ridership numbers are close to pre-COVID levels.
"That was the highest level before that, we peaked in 2019, which was prior to COVID, and so we're really getting close to that. We're getting closer to surpassing that number,” said Loyola. “It's a great trend that we're on right now."
DART’s Route 305 Beach Connection will resume running on weekends and holidays starting Saturday, May 24 through Labor Day.
There were some changes to that route as the last trip on Saturdays will leave Wilmington at 3 PM instead of 5 PM, and it will depart Lewes Transit Center at 6:00 PM instead of 7:45 PM.
On Sunday, the 8 AM and 9:30 AM departures will be combined into one trip departing at 9:00 AM. Sunday service will operate two roundtrips. The last trip on Sunday will be modified to depart Wilmington at 2:45 PM instead of 5:15 PM. Buses will depart Lewes Transit Center at 11:30 AM instead of 10:45 AM. The 7:45 PM trip will be discontinued.
But Loyola says there is a notable change.
"The one thing to keep in mind for the public to know is that the ticket booth at the Rehoboth Park & Ride will be closed this summer. So for ticketing purposes, people can obtain fares and tickets over at the Lewis Transit Center," said Loyola.
Loyola adds come July 4 there will be added buses for the fireworks show in Rehoboth Beach.
All of the bus schedules can be found on DART’s website and app.
