Hidalgo County Precinct 4 launched a new bus service for residents living in unincorporated areas on Thursday.

Officials said the Valley Metro Route 12 was created to give residents of San Carlos access to county resources that many people couldn't get to before.

Residents in the rural areas now have an easier way to get healthcare centers and businesses from Weslaco to Edinburg.

"It gives them access to healthcare, the university, businesses in the downtown Edinburg area," Hidalgo County Precinct 4 Commissioner Ellie Torres said. "If they choose to ride the route backwards over into Weslaco, it gives them access to STC, and there is a variety of access that you can get along the way."

Officials said the new route stops in San Carlos seven times throughout the day, providing people like resident Lydia Maldonado a means of transportation they didn't have before.

"Here, there are a lot of people that only have one car to get around," she said. "The men go to work, while the women stay at home and [they] have no way of getting to the doctor or to the clinic."

For more information on bus routes and times, download the Valley Metro app on your smart device.