Valley Metro (Roanoke)


Valley Metro, the operational name for the Greater Roanoke Transit Company, is a local government-owned urban-suburban bus line based in Roanoke, Virginia with First Transit providing the general and assistant general managers. The staff is employed by Southwest Virginia Transit Management Company, a First Transit subsidiary. Valley Metro serves the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem, the town of Vinton, and limited unincorporated portions of Roanoke County. Valley Metro has a fleet of 42 buses and 7 paratransit vehicles, and many lines originate and/or terminate at Campbell Court, a central bus station in downtown Roanoke which is also served by Greyhound.

Services offered

Bus

Effective June 1, 2010, Valley Metro buses only stop at designated bus stops. Before as previous to this buses would stop at every corner. Many passengers have expressed disapproval of this new policy. Valley Metro officials state that the changes are necessary to keep buses on schedule as ridership has increased.
As of January 1, 2018, Valley Metro operates the following bus routes:
Valley Metro operates the Smart Way Bus, which serves Roanoke, Christiansburg, Blacksburg, and Virginia Tech. Its service to Roanoke includes connections to the Amtrak station, which opened on October 31, 2017.

''Star Line Trolley''

The Star Line Trolley is a free service along Jefferson Street between downtown Roanoke and the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Service is from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday.

Civic Center Shuttles

Free shuttles run from the Elmwood Garage in downtown Roanoke to the Roanoke Civic Center during events.

Paratransit (S.T.A.R.)

Valley Metro offers a paratransit service called Specialized Transit - Arranged Rides, operated by RADAR Transit, for individuals with disabilities who are unable to ride a traditional Valley Metro bus. It serves the entire city of Roanoke, the town of Salem, and the city of Salem. Applications must be submitted in order to ride. Customers call at least one day in advance to reserve a ride.