From: "Friends of Transit" To: Subject: June 21 changes for ALEX - transit in Ahwatukee Date: Monday, June 14, 2004 3:59 PM > > NEW LOOK, NEW DESTINATION FOR ALEX > "Ahwatukee Local Explorer" circulator changes paint scheme and expands route > > (PHOENIX) June 11, 2004: The Phoenix Public Transit Department's popular > ALEX circulator service (Ahwatukee Local Explorer) is getting new buses with > a new paint scheme and will extend service to Pecos Park effective June 21. > The upgrades were made possible by the Phoenix Transit Plan for transit > improvements within the city of Phoenix and the free fare is sponsored in > part by Harrah's Ak-Chin Resort. > > Since it began in November 2001, ALEX has followed a 20-mile route in the > Ahwatukee area linking more than 25,000 passengers monthly to shopping, > parks, schools and the new 40th Street/ Pecos Park-and-Ride. > > Seven new buses will replace the oldest of the current fleet of eight > vehicles. Ahwatukee residents will start to see the new look ALEX buses, > with the familiar purple color sporting a new simplified logo, on June 21. > Vehicle signage now includes the Valley Metro phone number and website to > help residents know where to get information on how to use ALEX. > > In addition, Phoenix Public Transit will add Pecos Park at 48th Street and > Pecos Road to its destinations. During the week one bus each hour will go to > Pecos Park and bus windows signs will indicate which buses go to the park > and which ones skip it. On weekends, every ALEX trip between 8 a.m. and 10 > p.m. will stop at the park. To accommodate the extended service to Pecos > Park without adding any cost to the program, ALEX will end its service day > about thirty minutes earlier than the current schedule. > > "We're very pleased with the success of ALEX, and the latest improvements > will make the service even better," said District 6 Councilman Greg Stanton. > "Ahwatukee residents can take ALEX to the movies, post office, library, > YMCA, schools, to the RAPID station, and now it will even take them to Pecos > Park. It's a great way to stay connected to our community." > > New schedules are onboard ALEX or available online at www.ValleyMetro.org. > For more passenger information, call Valley Metro at (602) 253-5000; for > persons with text telephones (602) 261-8208. > > > > > > > > > >