CT’s shoreline commuter bus service expanded

Shoreline bus commuters into Hartford have had three daily trips added to their service due to a spike in ridership, authorities said Tuesday.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell said an 18.5 percent increase in average daily ridership is the reason the state Transportation Department on Monday expanded its Middletown/Old Saybrook Express Bus Service schedule.

Monthly ridership rose to 3,439 in January from 3,046 the same month in 2009, Rell said.

“We are thrilled to see the increase in ridership along the route,” she said. “Getting more and more cars off of our highways will relieve congestion, and we will continue to provide better alternatives for commuters than driving alone.” 

The new morning trip will depart the Old Saybrook train station at 5:30 a.m., arriving at downtown Hartford’s Central Row at 6:45. All regular stops, including Essex, Chester and Middletown, will be served as well.

The midday trip will depart the Capitol area in downtown Hartford at 12:05 p.m., make the normal stops and will arrive in Old Saybrook at 1:35. 

The new late afternoon trip will depart the Capitol area at 3:30 p.m., make its regular stops and arrive at Old Saybrook at 5. 

In addition, all morning trips will have the downtown Hartford rotation reversed so that stops will be made at Asylum Hill prior to the Capitol Avenue area.

The Asylum Hill stop will be changed in the mornings from its current location at Farmington Avenue and Flower Street to Sigourney Street at Aetna. 

The state contracts with Dattco to run the weekdays-only commuter service.

For information, 1-800-229-4879 or www.cttransit.com/ExpressBusService.