Subject: Phoenix Public Transit to expand busing services 
Date: Thursday, July 20, 2006 9:57 PM

Below is some really good news for our friends who use the bus to get
around. 
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Phoenix Public Transit to expand busing services 

Additional trips, extended hours begin Monday

Alison Stanton 
Special for The Republic 
Jul. 20, 2006 12:00 AM 

 

Beginning Monday, the Phoenix Public Transit Department will extend
hours for some local bus routes and add trips for the RAPID commuter
service.

Some routes whose service was cut back last summer will be restored to
offer riders a way to get where they need to go until around midnight.
The routes that will offer this extended service again are 7 (Seventh
Street), 16 (16th Street), 17 (McDowell), 19 (19th Avenue), 24 (24th
Street/Glendale), 35 (35th Avenue), 50 (Camelback), 56 (Priest Drive),
61 (Southern), 106 (Peoria/Shea) and 170 (Bell Road).

Other routes will also see an increase in their frequency or convenience
to riders. For example, Route 24 will be adjusted to better serve Sky
Harbor Center, and Route 45 will run every 30 minutes on Sunday, rather
than every 60 minutes. 

In addition, commuters who use RAPID I-10 east and westbound will get
additional trips to help ease overcrowding. RAPID I-17 will have major
schedule adjustments and will add trips at 4:20, 4:30 and 5:40 p.m., and
RAPID SR-51 will add a trip at 4:26 p.m.

Marie Chapple, public-information officer for the Public Transit
Department, said she is certain the restored service will come as
welcome news.

Since 2000, there has been more demand overall for transit, Chapple
said. 

She expects that people who work odd schedules will benefit most from
the extended hours.

"I know many shift workers would love to take the bus but haven't been
able to," she said. The addition of trips comes as welcome news to
Phoenix resident Barb Bird, who rides the RAPID I-17 to work downtown
every morning from her home. 

"It will help when I'm going back home," said Bird, who manages a data
center. "That will make it a lot more convenient for me."

Mary Lavin, a senior programmer for the city who also rides RAPID I-17
from her Peoria home to work, feels the same way about the added trips.

"Number 1, it won't be as crowded, and that will help especially in the
summer," she said. "And 2, people will be happier, and that's good."