DART First State’s weekend bus service will kick-off this Saturday in Kent County.

    From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., bus routes 101 (Walker Road); 104 (Mifflin Meadows); 107 (Blue Hen Corporate Center); 109 (Dover Mall); and 112 (Delaware Technical & Community College) will run every hour with stops at the same locations served Monday through Friday. The Harrington-Dover shuttle will run every two hours.

    The $2 million pricetag for the expanded program includes Sunday bus service in New Castle County, said Darrel Cole, director of public relations for DelDOT. The fare remains the same, at $1 per ride.

    The state also hired 35 new employees for the expanded service, he said.

    “It’s a boon to recreation, entertainment and parks,” Cole said. “Folks that need transportation on Saturday are going to find this pretty convenient.”

    Cole said the routes chosen are the most productive in the system, having the highest number of passengers per hour riding the bus route and serving the highest concentrations of population and businesses for the county. The Delaware Transit Corporation estimates approximately 608 daily passengers will use the Saturday service.

    Meanwhile, DART users were receptive to the news that Saturday service would become a reality this weekend.

    Janear Gardley rides the bus three to four times per week, commuting from Wilmington to her job at Mainstay Hotels in Dover. She added she enjoys using DART and finds it economical as opposed to paying someone $15 to $20 to take her to work.

    “I think it’s great because people work every day of the week, and a lot of people don’t have transportation, like myself,” she said.

    Darnell Burton of Dover rides the bus about three times per week. While he believes adding the Saturday service is long overdue, he’s satisfied with DART, calling it reliable and on time.

    Cole said the new routes will be evaluated in 12 months, with that assessment being based on performance criteria as well as the number of passengers per hour on the buses.

    For more information, call 800-652-DART or go to www.dartfirststate.com.