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The Rapid

How to Ride The Rapid

Is fear of the unknown keeping you from riding The Rapid? Here's everything you need to know to ride as if you've been doing it all your life.

Read the Rules for Riding

Read about System Safety & Security

Find the route(s) and stops you need to make your trip—three easy ways:

  • Use this web site to find your route(s) and stops.
  • Call The Rapid at 776-1100 for help.
  • Get on the bus and ask your driver.
  • Check your schedule to see when you should be at your bus stop. Get there a few minutes early.
  • Relax. Enjoy the day. Don't stand too close to the curb. Our highly skilled drivers like to pull up close for your convenience.
  • Some stops serve more than one bus route. So make sure you're getting on the right bus. The route name and number are displayed on the front and side of the bus.
  • Get on the bus. Use the front door. The rear door is for people getting off the bus.
  • Your driver is your friend. If you aren't sure whether you have the right bus—or about anything else—just ask. The Rapid drivers are the nicest people you can meet on a bus.
  • Pay. Just put $1.50 in cash into the fare box. Don't have the right change? The machine will give you a change card you can use to help pay for your next ride.
  • If you need to transfer to a second route, tell your driver as you pay your fare. You'll get a free transfer ticket good for a ride on any other route for the next two hours. Please note, student 10-ride farecards have a transfer time of one hour.
  • Get more information on other convenient ways to pay—monthly passes, 10-ride tickets, qualifying for discounted fares and more.
  • When you're a block or two away from your stop, pull the cord above your seat to signal the driver. (Otherwise he or she will cruise past the stop if no new passengers are waiting there.) If you aren't sure where your stop is, ask your driver for help when you board the bus.
    You have arrived. Exit the bus at the rear and have a great day.

Holiday Service

Buses do not run on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4th), Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Service runs as scheduled on all other holidays.

2010 Holiday Schedule

Christmas Eve - The changes are listed by service type:

Radial service from Central Station

  • The 6:15 pm lineup will be the last lineup to depart Central Station. For the 6:15 pm lineup only, the 6:00 pm buses for Routes 7, 12 and 16 will be held until 6:15 pm, and will depart with the remainder of the lineup. At the end of each route, the bus will deadhead back to the garage. Please note that all buses from the 5:45 pm lineup will operate their entire trip, terminating service once they have returned to Central Station (unless it is already a pull-in trip).


    • University Service

  • GVSU Route 50 will not be operating at all from December 24 through January 1. Route 51 (CHS Express/Dash-to-the-Hill) will terminate service at 6:15 pm, the end of the day for Dash service.


    • Crosstown Service

  • Route 17 will terminate at Woodland Mall at 6:52 pm.
  • Route 24 will operate eastbound trips until terminating at Woodland Mall at 7:10 pm. The last westbound trip will terminate at the Grandville Library at 7:18 pm;
  • Route 28 will operate eastbound trips until terminating at Woodland Mall at 7:21 pm. The last westbound trip will terminate at 28th/Clyde Park at 7:29 pm;
  • Route 44 will operate eastbound trips until terminating at Woodland Mall at 7:14 pm. The last westbound trip will terminate at the Rivertown Walmart at 7:03 pm;


    • Christmas Day     - No buses will be in operation.

    New Year's Eve – Again, GVSU Route 50 will not be in operation. West DASH will run an extended service until the early morning hours on New Year’s Day. More details will be forthcoming on that service. All other routes will operate their normal schedules.

    New Year's Day - No buses will be in operation.

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