MERIDIAN – Dial-A-Ride type bus service is now available four days a week within a large geographic area of Nampa and Caldwell.

The new ValleyRide Route 57 Nampa/Caldwell Flex offers Tuesday through Friday service to eight locations within a large service zone. The hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The service locations in Caldwell are: the Health and Welfare office, the Department of Labor, the Veterans Administration Community Clinic, Southwest District Health, the YMCA, and the ValleyRide bus stop at Cleveland Boulevard near the Walmart. The Cleveland and Walmart bus stop provides connecting service to two ValleyRide fixed-line routes.

The Nampa locations are the Health and Welfare office and Karcher Mall. The mall stop connects to four ValleyRide fixed-line bus routes and two ValleyRide intercounty routes.

The new Route 57 Nampa/Caldwell Flex replaces two discontinued routes: Route 57 Nampa Flex and Route 58 Caldwell Flex. The Route 57 Nampa Flex operated from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays. Route 58 Caldwell Flex operated from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays.

The new Route 57 Nampa/Caldwell Flex does not have a set route like regular transit service. Instead, a person is required to call in advance to schedule a ride. A reservation can be made as early as two weeks in advance or as late at 3:45 p.m. the weekday before the ride is needed.

The passenger pickup location must be within the Route 57 Nampa/Caldwell Flex service area. At least one end of a trip must be at one of the eight locations identified above.

The one-way fare is $1. Local and universal ValleyRide bus passes are valid on the route.

More information about the new route is available at valleyride.org or by calling rideline customer service at 208-345-RIDE (7433). Ride reservations can be made by calling 345-7433.

The new route is part of a project to improve transportation services in the Nampa/Caldwell area, including service to social service agencies. All operating funds for this project have been provided by the Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC) through a federal grant. The grant also funds Route 73, which provides Monday fixed-route service between the cities of Notus, Parma, Wilder, Greenleaf and Middleton to the following locations in Caldwell: Health and Welfare, the Department of Labor, the Veterans Administration Community Clinic, Southwest District Health and the YMCA. The route also serves Farmway Village in Caldwell and the new Terry Reilly Health Services Clinic in Middleton. The one-way fare is $3.