New Rapid Service and Changes to Existing Bus Service Starting on Sunday

Service on new South Bay Rapid from Otay Mesa Border to Downtown highlights changes

San Diego – With the aim of continuing to provide frequent and reliable bus service that matches the demand of ridership, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) will be making service changes to 26 of its bus routes starting on Sunday, January 27. Additionally, on Sunday MTS will start service from Otay Mesa to Downtown San Diego on the South Bay Rapid, and begin operations in the new Otay Mesa Transit Center.

Bus service is modified three times a year typically in January, June and September in order to meet demand of school schedules, tourism and other factors. Key changes to some of the routes in the MTS bus system include:

• Route 41 (Fashion Valley - UCSD): Route is changed to a one-way counter-clockwise loop around Villa La Jolla Dr., Gilman Dr., and La Jolla Village Drive.
• Rapid 201 and 202 (UTC Transit Center – UCSD): Added weekday trips throughout the day to replace service formerly provided by UC San Diego’s Arriba Shuttle. 
• Rapid 225 (Otay Mesa – Downtown San Diego): Route is extended to operate between Downtown San Diego and the Otay Mesa border. The border terminal is the new Otay Mesa Transit Center, where connections can be made to Routes 905, 909, and 950.
• Route 992 (Downtown San Diego – Airport): Additional service in the morning and extended service through midnight on all days.

The public can view all changes on the January 2019 Service Changes Take One on the MTS website.

Otay Mesa Transit Center

Starting Sunday, January 27, MTS riders in Otay Mesa will have access to a brand-new facility—the Otay Mesa Transit Center. Just steps away from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, the Transit Center will serve an estimated 300,000 annual passengers, with amenities like sheltered benches, ticket vending machines and pedestrian walkways.

The following local bus routes in Otay Mesa will have their terminals relocated to the new Otay Mesa Transit Center:

• Route 905 (Otay Mesa – Iris Transit Center) Otay Mesa terminal moved from Via de la Amistad to Otay Mesa Transit Center. Will no longer serve Via de la Amistad on the east side of the 905 freeway
• Route 909 (Otay Mesa – Southwestern College Otay Mesa): Otay Mesa terminal moved from Via de la Amistad to Otay Mesa Transit Center. Service to Roll Drive and Via de la Amistad remains available on weekdays.
• Route 950 (Otay Mesa – Iris Transit Center Express): Otay Mesa terminal moved from Via de la Amistad to Otay Mesa Transit Center. Will no longer serve Via de la Amistad on the east side of the 905 freeway.

MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday, 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of the county. In FY 2018, MTS served more than 86 million riders.  For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.    

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