Converse Kept VIA. Most of Its Bus Service Meets at One Walmart
November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026
How far is your front door from a VIA bus stop? The City of Converse answered that question during the campaign over Proposition A. In its own comparison, it said VIA's bus service in Converse reaches people within about a quarter mile of a single route. The city also said that service covers about 24% of Converse's land area, according to Texas Public Radio.
Voters decided on November 3 to keep that system. So the practical question for the other three quarters of the city is how to get to it. For most of Converse, the answer is the Walmart on Old Seguin Road, where three VIA routes meet.
In the Bexar County Elections results report, Proposition A got 1,624 votes for and 5,911 against, out of 7,535 cast. That works out to 78.45% against. A vote for meant leaving VIA. On November 6, VIA announced that Converse stays a member city and service continues.
The measure was about sales tax. Converse sends one half cent of its local sales tax to VIA. The San Antonio Express-News put that at $2.2 million this year. The city projects it will reach about $2.4 million in 2027 and more than $3 million by 2030. The City Council voted unanimously on August 12 to put the question on the ballot. In its place, the city proposed Alamo Regional Transit, an on-demand van service run through the Alamo Area Council of Governments, at about $720,000 a year.
Leaving would also have come with a one-time cost. The Express-News reported that VIA officials said state law would have required Converse to pay VIA about $12.9 million after leaving, its share of the agency's existing debt. With $2.4 million a year in projected contributions, that is roughly five years of payments due on the way out. So the city would not have seen the new sales tax money for some time.
The vote ended that debate. The half-cent stays with VIA, and so do the bus routes, VIAtrans and VIA Link.
One VIA bus route runs through Converse, and two more reach its edge. The Express-News described the routes in September, before the vote.
| Service | What it covers in Converse | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Route 502, Thousand Oaks | Runs from North Star Transit Center through Converse, past City Hall and Judson High School, to the Walmart on Old Seguin Road | Every 30 minutes for most hours, weekends included |
| Route 21, Kirby/Ventura Frequent | Runs along the FM 78 corridor from downtown San Antonio and ends at the Walmart on Old Seguin Road | Every 20 minutes at peak |
| Route 632, Randolph/Ventura | Connects Randolph Transit Center to Ventura and The Glen along Walzem Road and FM 78/Crestway, and ends near Walmart | Every 30 minutes for most hours |
| VIA Link, Randolph zone | On-demand rides between set stops, including the Walmart and two other points in the city | Every day, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
Route 502 is the only line that runs through Converse. VIA's Route 502 page says it connects North Star Transit Center through the Thousand Oaks corridor and Naco Pass to Randolph Transit Center. Weekend service went from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes on May 4, 2026. Before that change, a Saturday rider waited twice as long as a weekday rider. Now both get a bus every half hour.
Route 502 is also what sets the city's quarter-mile coverage figure. If your home is near its path, you can walk to a stop. If it isn't, you start every trip by getting to the route.
All three bus routes reach the same Walmart on Old Seguin Road. Routes 21 and 632 go no farther into the city. The Randolph VIA Link zone has a stop there too. So for Converse, that parking lot works like a small transit center. From there you can take Route 21 toward downtown, Route 632 toward Randolph and The Glen, or Route 502 toward North Star.
VIA Link stops in the Randolph zone include Old Seguin Road at FM 78, Old Seguin Road by Kirby Junior High, and the Bexar County Precinct 4 office. Randolph is also the zone's main transfer point. VIA lists Randolph Transit Center at 9400 IH 35 North.
At the August 4 City Council meeting, 13 people spoke against leaving VIA. Some lived in Converse, and others said they used VIA to reach services in the city, according to the Express-News.
The same report said VIAtrans, VIA's paratransit service for people with disabilities, had 272 active customers in Converse and gave 14,384 trips there in fiscal year 2025. That comes to about 53 trips per rider for the year, or roughly one a week. Those numbers come from a VIA board presentation, and VIAtrans continues under the vote.
If you don't live near Route 502, VIA Link is the closest thing to a ride from home. It runs stop to stop inside zones, not door to door. Here is how to book it, from VIA's VIA Link page:
Because transfers are free, one fare can take you from a Link stop to the Walmart and onto Route 21 toward downtown. VIA's fare page lists regular bus fare at $1.30 and a day pass at $2.75. A 7-day pass costs $12 and a 31-day pass costs $38. Someone making the same round trip each weekday would spend about $57 a month at $1.30 a ride. The 31-day pass costs $38 and covers weekend trips too.
VIA's reduced fare rules let children 4 and under ride free. Seniors 62 and older with a VIA ID pay 25 cents on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and ride free on weekends. Reduced fares also apply to children 5 to 13, Medicare recipients, people with qualifying disabilities, students, and active-duty U.S. military. That last group matters in a city next to Randolph.
VIA's next systemwide service change is January 11, 2027. On its service changes page, Route 21 is listed for minor schedule adjustments to improve on-time arrivals. Routes 502 and 632 show no route changes. Route 21 already got a minor schedule adjustment on August 24, 2026.
The bigger changes for Converse in 2027 are road and utility projects. Mayor Al Suarez's letter in the city's October to December 2026 Connection magazine lists three:
Route 632 already runs along Walzem Road.
Two holiday events are on the city calendar. The Holiday Parade starts at 6 p.m. on November 29, and the tree lighting follows at 7 p.m. Pancakes with Santa is December 5.
Where a home sits relative to Route 502 and the Randolph Link stops is now a fixed part of daily life in Converse. If you want to know what your home is worth in today's market, The Impact Group can walk you through it street by street. Get Your Free Home Valuation.
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