diff --git a/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/GReader.java b/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/GReader.java
index bb406c89..46d1623d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/GReader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/GReader.java
@@ -535,8 +535,9 @@ private static void processRoute(GAgencyTools agencyTools, GSpec gSpec, HashMap<
 				if (previousGRoute != null && previousGRoute.equalsExceptMergeable(gRoute)) {
 					final String mergedRouteLongName = GRoute.mergeRouteLongNames(previousGRoute.getRouteLongName(), gRoute.getRouteLongName());
 					final String mergedRouteColor = GRoute.mergeRouteColors(previousGRoute.getRouteColor(), gRoute.getRouteColor());
+					final Integer mergedRouteSortOrder = GRoute.mergeRouteSortOrders(previousGRoute.getRouteSortOrder(), gRoute.getRouteSortOrder());
 					if (mergedRouteLongName != null) { // merge successful
-						gSpec.addRoute(previousGRoute.clone(mergedRouteLongName, mergedRouteColor), true);
+						gSpec.addRoute(previousGRoute.clone(mergedRouteLongName, mergedRouteColor, mergedRouteSortOrder), true);
 						return;
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/data/GRoute.kt b/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/data/GRoute.kt
index c6acb32b..70178cc3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/data/GRoute.kt
+++ b/src/main/java/org/mtransit/parser/gtfs/data/GRoute.kt
@@ -143,14 +143,18 @@ data class GRoute(
             routeDesc != o.routeDesc -> false // not equal
             routeType != o.routeType -> false // not equal
             routeTextColor != o.routeTextColor -> false // not equal
-            routeSortOrder != o.routeSortOrder -> false // not equal
             else -> true // mostly equal
         }
     }
 
-    fun clone(routeLongName: String?, routeColor: String?) = this.copy(
+    fun clone(
+        routeLongName: String?,
+        routeColor: String?,
+        routeSortOrder: Int?,
+    ) = this.copy(
         routeLongName = routeLongName,
         routeColor = routeColor,
+        routeSortOrder = routeSortOrder,
     )
 
     companion object {
@@ -260,5 +264,18 @@ data class GRoute(
             val mergedColorHex = ColorUtils.convertToHEX(mergedColorInt)
             return mergedColorHex
         }
+
+        @JvmStatic
+        fun mergeRouteSortOrders(routeSortOrder1: Int?, routeSortOrder2: Int?): Int? {
+            if (routeSortOrder2 == null) {
+                return routeSortOrder1
+            } else if (routeSortOrder1 == null) {
+                return routeSortOrder2
+            }
+            if (routeSortOrder1 == routeSortOrder2) {
+                return routeSortOrder1
+            }
+            return null // -1 // not merged < route sort order not used at the moment
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file