Whitehorse Transit will adjust Routes 2 and 401 in advance of the upcoming school year to meet the expected demand for transit services and improve on-time performance.

Starting Thursday, a Riverdale Loop bus service will replace the Riverdale portions of Routes 2 and 401.

The new service will minimize the delays these routes are currently experiencing, the city said Friday.

The new loop will run twice an hour from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from the Law Courts, into Riverdale and back to city hall.

“While this change introduces an additional transfer for passengers travelling in and out of Riverdale, it also increases service frequency, route directness, and offers multiple transfer options with shorter wait times,” the city said.

“We will continue to assess, monitor, and potentially adjust routes to optimize transit service.”

In other changes in recent weeks, Copper Ridge Express and Lobird returned to using Robert Service Way on July 25.

The route was diverted onto the Alaska Highway to maintain timely service due to the past spring’s landslides along Robert Service Way.

With the escarpment having shown continued stability and the road now open, buses have resumed the use of Robert Service Way to access and leave the downtown core.