The Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency (HIRTA) has expanded their Monday through Friday hours of operation to better
accommodate the needs of their ridership. Sarah Constable with HIRTA tells KNIA/KRLS News as of this month they are offering service from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., an increase over the previous schedule of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Constable says workers and those with medical travel needs will both benefit from the lengthened hours and she expects to see ridership increase as a result, allowing for even more desirable service changes in the future. She says increased weekend hours and offers of special trips for events could result if ridership sees growth. Last year saw an increase of more than 2,000 HIRTA rides in the region.