What a wonderful step forward that Asheville has expanded its bus service to seven days a week, now including Sundays.

The long-awaited improvement is the largest service addition since Asheville launched its transit master plan in 2012.

As of the morning of Jan. 4, nine of the 17 regular routes began running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. 

Officials say those routes include the top performing routes from last year.

A number of people dependent on buses for transportation have voiced concerns in recent years over the lack of service on Sundays, citing their difficulties in going to work or church as well as running errands. 

“Sunday service is consistently among the most requested service enhancements we hear from the community,” city Transportation Manager Mariate Echeverry noted in a news release. “Seven-day service is the logical next step in implementing the transit plan for Asheville.”

With the Sunday service expansion, ridership is projected to increase by about 8,500 people a year.

Particularly in a tourism-oriented economy, among people on limited incomes, including college students, and those who simply prefer public transportation to limit their carbon footprint, the addition of Sunday bus service is invaluable for this community.

From a financial standpoint, the benefits of this enhanced service — with savvy management by the city —  should easily outweigh its costs in no time. Bravo, Asheville!