Samples of a new commuter map were distributed to future ION LRT and iXpress riders who attended an open house Saturday at the Region of Waterloo's operations, maintenance and storage facility

Tom Galloway, chair of the Region of Waterloo's planning and works committee said the map integrates the ION and iXpress along with a couple of routes that are still in the planning stages.

"The whole idea was to link the iXpress buses with the ION stations and integrate the two systems," said Galloway. "Make it efficient for people to decide that they're going to take transit instead of the car," said Galloway.

Planned routes on Ottawa Street will connect with the Sunrise Centre starting at the end of 2017 and the connections will all be in service shortly afterward in early 2018.

Even after the LRT route connections are operational the iXpress bus will continue to connect with other local Grand River Transit routes.