A new, safe-ride bus service is giving young adults in Johnstown a chance to enjoy the city and drive more business downtown.

The Young Professionals of the Alleghenies started the Loop bus to connect young adults to restaurants, bars and other businesses downtown.

“This really can be the people mover and get the people to the things to do in the Greater Johnstown area,” said Allen Higbee, the president of the Young Professionals of the Alleghenies (YPA).

Getting to downtown Johnstown on a Saturday night can be a challenge, especially for college students and anyone who relies on public transportation.

“I knew that this is a big issue around here: transportation and having Richland and downtown segregated from each other. We needed to bridge that gap somehow,” said Ethan Stewart, a YPA board member. 

The bus service runs from 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. on Saturday nights for anyone 18 and older. The bus makes the loop throughout the night from Richland Township near the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown campus and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College down to the Central Business District.

“I don’t have to worry about how am I going to get home, how are me and my friends going to get home. We have a little bit of Uber in town, but not big enough yet,” Stewart said.

Businesses that participate in the Loop subsidize the cost for riders: $5 for students, $10 for everyone else, and free for YPA members.

“Saturday Johnstown has a ton of music to offer, a ton of venues like Flood City Cafe, Escape Rooms. And the businesses themselves, now they have a way to get the people down there,” Higbee said.

YPA members said their next step is spreading the word to other young adults and bringing other local businesses into the Loop.

“This Loop is ours, but at the end of the day, it’s as great as you want it to be,” said Higbee.

If you’d like to ride the Loop, you can just hop on at any participating location on Saturday nights. The bus runs about every seven minutes. You can also check the Young Professionals of the Alleghenies Twitter for an updated schedule.