The Irvine CONNECT shuttle service will officially launch on April 1, providing free transportation from Irvine Spectrum to Northwood Town Center. 

With a total of 76 stops including points of interest at Kaiser, Hoag Hospital, Heritage Park, Woodbridge High School and Sierra Vista Middle School, the Irvine CONNECT shuttle service will be available to residents from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-10 p.m. on weekends, with access to WiFi and two bike racks per shuttle. 

“The city’s Transit Vision Study found that this route along Yale and Barranca had the best potential to connect residents in the heart of the city with parks, schools, community centers, hospitals, shopping centers and the Irvine Station,” Transmit and Active Transportation administrator Mike Davis said. “It will serve residents going to places of interest across the city.”

Irvine CONNECT serves as a replacement for the iShuttle service, which was partially terminated in 2022 following a 50% drop in ridership due to hybrid work schedules that made the cost per boarding unsustainable. This led to a limited number of bus stops in Irvine and infrequent bus arrival times. 

To combat this lack of available transportation resources, the Irvine CONNECT shuttle service seeks to accommodate residents’ current schedules by refocusing its transportation efforts to common places of interest rather than being concentrated in workplaces and business districts. Shuttle frequency will also improve to 20 minutes as opposed to the OCTA bus’s one hour frequency.

Additionally, the Transmit and Active Transportation Department hopes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and drive-alone trips through the CONNECT shuttle, limiting vehicle miles traveled and encouraging shared transportation options in Irvine. 

Many students have shown enthusiasm towards these efforts due to the convenience and opportunity for more freedom.

“I think the bus would be beneficial to students who need methods of transportation or ways to get around,” junior Zane Commissariat said. “Just having a car or driving isn’t the only way that you can gain independence. I think getting out in the real world, interacting with other people and actually holding yourself accountable to go to a bus stop is a great way to gain more independence and responsibility.”

The Transmit and Active Transportation Department is currently waiting to observe the CONNECT shuttle bus’s demand and ridership over a one-year pilot period before introducing more transportation services or adjusting the shuttle’s stops to be more beneficial to residents. 

As residents start using the service, the department advises CONNECT shuttle bus passengers to arrive at least five minutes early to their stops, which are marked by the Irvine CONNECT pole. 

“It provides an opportunity to connect with neighbors and slow down a bit,” Davis said. “Because you don’t have the stress of driving, riding the bus provides time on the road to do some work, reflect, meet neighbors or rest. It will let you see your community in a new way.”

 For further information on this new Irvine shuttle service, visit the city website at cityofirvine.org or direct any specific questions to Davis at [email protected].