CHRISTIANSBURG -- Residents may want to give the expanded transit service in town a try, especially since plans are to offer free fares for a limited time.

Plans are to begin the expanded Christiansburg routes offered by Blacksburg Transit on Nov. 23 and to allow free fares on those routes between Nov. 23 and Dec. 31, said Transit Director Rebecca Martin.

Martin said the hope is that people will use that time to try out the service.

The Blacksburg Town Council is expected to consider an ordinance Nov. 10 to allow for the initial free fares in Christiansburg. Blacksburg Transit is a department of the town of Blacksburg.

The ordinance states that the town of Christiansburg has requested the free fare transit service for the limited time. The effort is meant to encourage ridership and provide for a smoother start-up, it says.

Prior to the Blacksburg meeting, Martin will make a presentation to the Christiansburg Town Council on Nov. 2 about the fare structure, the routes and the first-day activities for the service.

Martin said officials are in the process of setting fares, which will begin Jan. 1.

In Blacksburg, for example, an adult fare is 50 cents. A one-month pass for an adult is $8 and a six-month pass is $37.50, according to the Blacksburg Transit Web site.

Martin said transit personnel have been preparing and are ready for the service in Christiansburg.

In August, Blacksburg Transit conducted a mock service demonstration that was intended to help employees prepare for the service. The practice run also gave transit employees the chance to run the planned service and make any changes needed before it starts, transit officials said then.

The Christiansburg service is planned to include a downtown loop, which will move riders around the downtown area to destinations such as the courthouse, post office, library and local businesses, transit officials have said.

The planned mall circulator service will transport riders around the New River Valley Mall and other shops in the Arbor Drive, Conston Avenue, Market Street and Peppers Ferry Road area.

Another planned service is the flex route that will take residents from their neighborhood to any location in Christiansburg and will operate on a call-ahead basis.

Routes were developed based on resident input from a survey in 2008.

"We've accommodated the major needs that came back in the survey," said Christiansburg Town Manager Lance Terpenny.

According to the survey, 60 percent of respondents indicated interest in the transit system, with 27 percent saying they were "very likely" to use the new Christiansburg routes if they began this year and 33 percent saying they were "somewhat likely."

There were 3,777 people who responded to the survey.

"I think it's going to be well received," Terpenny said about the transit service in town.

New personnel also will be coming on board with Blacksburg Transit to help with the expanded service.

The Blacksburg Town Council approved an ordinance in August that authorized the creation of additional full-time and part-time positions to provide operations, maintenance and administration support for the additional Christiansburg service.

The new positions added are two full-time positions, which are a mechanic and financial analyst. There are also 10 new part-time positions that include bus operators, a scheduler and receptionist, according to a report presented to the council at that time.

Martin said the hiring process is under way.

Blacksburg Transit also is increasing the fleet by 11 buses, four of which are related to the new Christiansburg expanded service.

The vehicles for the Christiansburg service are expected to arrive in time for the service to start Nov. 23, Martin said.