News
Press Releases:
RMTD’s City Market Trolley Returns for 2026
The Rockford Mass Transit District is excited to announce the return of the City Market Trolley for the 2025 season. Come out and ride Rockford’s most historic vehicle all summer for free! The City Market Trolley is a great way to enjoy the sights and sounds of summer without having to use your own vehicle.
The City Market Trolley will start on Friday, May 16th, and run until Friday, September 5th. Its hours of service will be from 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Friday during those dates. To see the Trolley route, please see the map below.
Notice of Tentative Budget Ordinance for the Rockford Mass Transit District upcoming budget.
RMTD Announces Facility Expansion
We are excited to announce our facility expansion project, along with the awarding of the construction contract to Scandroli Construction of Rockford, Illinois. This awarding will be for the renovation and expansion of RMTD’s current vehicle storage and maintenance facility at 520 Mulberry Street. For more information, please see the attached press release below.
RMTD Partners with City of Rockford for free pass program
The Rockford Mass Transit District will be making service improvements to several Weekday Daytime routes in the community, mainly those serving the West and Northwest sides of Rockford starting Sunday, October 12th. These changes will result in reduced wait times and better access to employment, education, community facilities and food sources for passengers. As part of the service improvements, RMTD will also be extending Weekday Daytime service an additional hour on many routes in the system.
The City of Rockford and the Rockford Mass Transit District announced that beginning February 01, 2025, any individual in the community enrolled in a local post-secondary education program or in a local adult General Educational Development (GED)/High School Equivalency (HSE) program will now be able to ride RMTD’s fixed route service for free. For More information, please read below.
RMTD announce route changes to Belvidere.
All current #24 Route customers are directed to utilize the Boone County Demand Response service operated by BCCA for trips in Boone County/Belvidere and to make connections to RMTD fixed route service at the RMTD Eastside Transfer Center (ESTC) at 725 N. Lyford Road in Rockford beginning Monday, July 01, 2024.
RMTD Paratransit Updates:
The Rockford Mass transit District will be replacing its current paratransit software with a new scheduling and dispatching software that will improve the customer experience by reducing wait times. For updates and more information, please see our letter to customers below.
RMTD Receives 6.3 Million In Federal Funding for Buses
City of Rockford and RMTD Announce Free Rides for Veterans and Students
The City of Rockford and the Rockford Mass Transit District announced on Monday, December 20, 2021 that starting January 3, 2022, veterans and students K-12 will be able to ride on the RMTD Fixed Route System for free.
Students in grades K-12 need only to show their school ID cards to the drivers as they board the buses. If they attend a school that does not issue an ID card and are in grades K-12, they can purchase an RMTD Student Free Ride ID card for $2.00 at either of our Transfer Center locations and show this to the driver as they board. They must present proof of Identity and proof of enrollment in a K-12 program to get and RMTD photo ID
Our veterans will also need to obtain a Free Ride Veterans ID to identify them as a veteran. Once they have that ID card, they also need only show this to the operator to get a free ride. To obtain an RMTD ID card veterans can go to either RMTD transfer center and present proof of identity and proof or military service. Due to a generous donation from the community member at large, the cost of the $5.00 ID fee has been paid for the first 50 veterans who come to get an ID card.