The 380 Express, a regional bus service connecting the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor, will launch a new route next month, while also adjusting its existing schedule and raising fares to support long-term operations.
The bus service will introduce the Campus Connect route June 1, offering stops at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center in North Liberty and the Kirkwood Regional Center in Coralville. The route will initially operate two round trips during peak morning and afternoon travel times. A free park-and-ride lot will be available at the Kirkwood Regional Center.
The new route, announced May 26, was developed in response to stakeholder feedback identifying demand for direct connections to the two facilities, according to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments, which administers the service.
The existing 380 Express Corridor Loop route, which has operated since 2018, will see schedule modifications alongside the new launch. The earliest morning round trip will be eliminated, and the two latest evening departures will be consolidated into a single round trip due to low ridership on those runs. The core route will otherwise remain unchanged.
To help sustain the service long term, the base one-way fare will increase from $3.50 to $4. The Iowa Department of Transportation has funded 380 Express since its 2018 launch, originally intended to give commuters an alternative to driving during heavy road construction along the Interstate 380 corridor. The service has since grown to nearly 500 riders per day.
More information on the service changes is available at 380express.com/campus-connect.
ECICOG is a regional planning agency serving Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.
