Valley Regional Transit launched a new express bus route Monday connecting downtown Meridian to downtown Boise with limited stops and a 25-minute travel time during peak commuting hours, offering Ada County’s growing population of cross-city commuters a faster, more affordable alternative to fighting traffic on the congested I-84 and Eagle Road corridors. The Route 55X represents the most significant expansion of Treasure Valley public transit service in over five years and reflects growing demand for commuter-oriented transportation options in Idaho’s fastest-growing metropolitan area.
The new route operates every 15 minutes during peak hours from 6:00 to 9:00 AM and 4:00 to 7:00 PM on weekdays, with 30-minute service during midday hours. The route begins at the Meridian City Hall transit center on Broadway Avenue, makes stops at the Ten Mile Road park-and-ride lot and the Milwaukee Street park-and-ride, then runs express on I-84 to downtown Boise with final stops at the Capitol Boulevard transit hub and the Boise State University campus.
Why Ada County Needs Better Transit Connections
The Meridian-Boise commute is the most heavily traveled route in the Treasure Valley, with an estimated 35,000 workers making the trip in each direction daily. Traffic congestion on I-84 between Meridian and Boise has increased steadily, with average commute times growing from 18 minutes in 2018 to over 30 minutes during peak hours in 2026. The Eagle Road and Broadway Avenue corridors, which serve as alternative routes, are equally congested.
VRT Executive Director Kelli Badesheim said the Route 55X was designed specifically to address this commute corridor. “The data is clear — thousands of Meridian residents work in downtown Boise, and thousands of Boise residents work in Meridian’s commercial centers,” Badesheim said. “We’re providing a service that saves commuters time, money, and frustration while taking cars off our roads.”
At a one-way fare of $1.50, the Route 55X costs significantly less than the estimated $12-15 daily cost of driving and parking a personal vehicle for the same commute. Monthly passes are available for $45, making the service particularly attractive for daily commuters. Employers can purchase subsidized passes for their workers through VRT’s employer partnership program.
New Park-and-Ride Infrastructure
To support the new route, VRT opened a 200-space park-and-ride lot at Ten Mile Road and the I-84 interchange, funded through a combination of federal transit grants and ACHD contributions. The lot features covered bicycle parking, electric vehicle charging stations, real-time bus arrival displays, and a heated shelter for winter waiting. A second park-and-ride expansion at Milwaukee Street adds 120 spaces to the existing lot.
ACHD Commissioner Kent Goldthorpe said the highway district views transit investment as complementary to road construction. “We can’t widen our way out of congestion,” Goldthorpe said. “Every bus carrying 40 passengers is 40 fewer cars on I-84. That benefits everyone, including the people who continue to drive.”
Ridership Expectations and Future Expansion
VRT projects the Route 55X will carry approximately 800 riders per day within the first six months of operation, growing to 1,200 daily riders by the end of the first year. If ridership targets are met, VRT plans to introduce a second express route connecting Nampa to Boise via I-84 in 2027, and a north-south express from Eagle to Kuna via Eagle Road in 2028.
Overall Treasure Valley bus ridership has increased 18% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, with the State Street and Overland Road routes showing the strongest growth. VRT attributes the increase to improved service frequency, the introduction of a mobile fare payment app, and rising fuel and parking costs that make transit more cost-competitive with driving.
What Comes Next
Riders can plan trips, view real-time bus locations, and purchase mobile fares through the ValleyRide app, available for iOS and Android. Route maps and schedules are also available at valleyregionaltransit.org. Commuters interested in employer-subsidized transit passes can contact VRT’s business partnerships office at 208-345-7433. The Route 55X schedule is available at all VRT bus stops and transit centers.