KEYRIS MANZANARES: Big changes are coming to the Greater Richmond Transit Company this weekend, increasing access for bus riders.

This includes an expansion of GRTCs Microtansit, a late night trip from Richmond International Airport and extensions to the Route 1 service.

Microlink, similar to rideshare, will now service the Sanston/Elko area and like all GRTC services, it is fare free.

GRTC Spokesperson Henry Bendon says, HENRY BENDON: The main benefits of microtransit are this: it's curb the curb.

So in communities where there are two things one, not enough density for a bus or two, like kind of a bad pedestrian network.

We're talking limited sidewalks, limited access to businesses.

It's a safe and easy way to get around while you make those infrastructure improvements.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: RIC workers and travelers can expect one additional trip from the airport to the downtown transfer station, with more trip planned for the fall.

HENRY BENDON: What you're talking about is a reliable connection for travelers and more importantly, airport employees, the people that need to get there every day later into the evening for free, super reliable and increasingly frequent.

That's just going to be a game changer for travelers, you know, in Churchill up in the East End and at the airport and the airport going public.

KEYRIS MANZANARES: For Route 1, GRTC says they're expanding service to Parham Road and Reynolds Community College, as well as adding a stop to make Johnston-Willis Hospital more accessible for riders.

For VPM News, I'm Keyris Manzanares.