VIA Primo

VIA Prímo
A northbound Primo bus departs the Mary Louise Station on its way to the Medical Center Transit Center.
A northbound Primo bus departs the Mary Louise Station on its way to the Medical Center Transit Center.
Overview
LocaleSan Antonio
Transit typeBus rapid transit
Number of lines3[1][2][3][4]
Number of stations11 (Route 100)[5]
Daily ridership10,629 (November 2023)[6]
Websiteviainfo.net/primo_service
Operation
Began operationDecember 17, 2012
Operator(s)VIA Metropolitan Transit
Number of vehicles16 compressed natural gas buses[7]
HeadwayRoute 100: 15 minutes

Route 102: 15 minutes

Route 103: 12 minutes (weekdays); 15 minutes (weekends)[8]
Technical
System lengthApprox. 33.5 miles (50 km) [2][9]

VIA Primo (stylized as prímo) is a bus rapid transit service operated by VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas, United States. As of January 2019, it comprises three lines. Route 100 runs along the Fredericksburg Road corridor, from the Medical Center Transit Center, in the vicinity of the South Texas Medical Center, to Downtown San Antonio. Route 102 serves Military Drive between Kel-Lac Transit Center and Brooks Transit Center. Route 103 travels on Fredericksburg Road and Zarzamora Street from Crossroads Park & Ride to the Madla Transit Center.

From October 2016 to September 2017, Primo accounted for about 5% of total VIA ridership. Route 100 was the second-busiest line in the VIA system, with a ridership of 1,784,796 during that timespan.[10] In May 2019, Primo had an average weekday ridership of 9,280, or about 8.7% of the overall VIA bus average. Route 100 had a slightly higher average than Route 103 (4,833 vs. 4,447).[11] Average weekday Primo ridership in November 2023 was 10,629 across the three routes, or about 13.2% of the overall fixed-route ridership of 80,560 during the same month.[6]

Primo launched on December 17, 2012, as Route 100. An extension to Leon Valley opened in November 2013, complementing the UTSA extension that had operated since Primo's launch. The original route was split in January 2017, with the extensions from the Medical Center Transit Center to UTSA and Leon Valley being re-designated as Route 101 and the core Fredericksburg Road corridor service retaining the Route 100 number. On January 7, 2019, Route 103 began service; on the same date, Route 101 was renumbered as Route 501 and removed from the Primo system.[3] Route 102 opened on August 26, 2019.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ExpressNews Primo-SWCorridors 2015-09-02 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Vinson, Joan (October 7, 2016) [first published August 27, 2015]. "Two new VIA Prímo routes coming in 2018". San Antonio Report. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Stop Adjustments at Transit Centers among changes effective Jan. 7" (Press release). San Antonio: VIA Metropolitan Transit. January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "VIA Hosts Public Meetings and Pop-Ups for Proposed Service Changes". VIA Metropolitan Transit. May 23, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  5. ^ "Route 100 - Fredericksburg Road" (PDF). VIA Metropolitan Transit. January 9, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  6. ^ a b VIA Metropolitan Transit (n.d.). "Ridership for November 2023". Microsoft Power BI. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference ExpressNews Primo-NowInAction 2012-12-17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference VIA Primo-Main was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference ExpressNews Primo-DraftEIS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Final Ridership Report - September 2017" (PDF). VIA Metropolitan Transit. November 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  11. ^ VIA Metropolitan Transit (n.d.). "Ridership for May 2019". Microsoft Power BI. Retrieved May 8, 2019.