Passengers riding the Rail Runner Express are now able to connect to any Rio Metro Regional Transit District bus for free with a valid Rail Runner ticket or monthly/annual pass.
Chris Blewett, Rio Metro Regional Transit District staff director, said this year the district consolidated and expanded its transit services to include all bus services in Sandoval County, Rio Rancho, Belen and Los Lunas. Rio Metro now controls and funds both the bus and the Rail Runner, Blewett said.
“Most of the buses that connected with the Rail Runner were actually already free, but we wanted to connect all of them and make all of them free,” he said.
The change went into effect Aug. 16.
Augusta Meyers, Mid-Region Council of Governments Communications manager, said the Rail Runner is the backbone of the Rio Metro Transit District.
“We wanted to reevaluate the bus systems and routes to make these branches and Rail Runner transportation as effective as possible for everyone in the community,” she said.
UNM partnered with the Rail Runner to provide two morning and two 5 p.m. shuttles from the downtown Rail Runner station to UNM daily.
Danielle Gilliam, UNM’s Parking and Transportation Services Alternative Transportation Information representative, said UNM has been working with the Rail Runner to provide reliable transportation for students.
“UNM and the Rail Runner are partners in providing sustainable and convenient transportation,” she said.
Meyers said riding the Rail Runner to UNM or anywhere else within Sandoval County, Rio Rancho, Belen or Los Lunas areas is more convenient now that passengers only need to have one ticket to connect to almost anywhere in the region.
