July 24, 2008

Friends,

This week’s lead story and headline reads, “Bus Ridership Soars in Arizona.”  Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who sees the price of gas, but keep in mind that only a few years ago, the transit naysayers were saying that funding a better bus system was a waste of money, or that the buses would run empty, etc.

Obviously, they were wrong…

Thanks to all of our Friends who have done their part to promote transit.  Without you, more people would be held captive to rising gas prices.

We also want to highlight Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon’s next monthly business coffee on August 5. He will be discussing light rail, and Valley Metro Rail CEO Rick Simonetta will also be there to share information. Click here for all the details- this is a great opportunity to learn more about the light rail!


In the News:
Bus Ridership Soars in Arizona, The Arizona Republic, July 9, 2008
Bus riding 101: How to make transition easier, The Arizona Republic, July 10, 2008
Light rail makes maiden voyage, The Arizona Republic, July 10, 2008
Gilbert Road bus service gets last-minute reprieve, Tribune, July 11, 2008
Valley Metro expands East Valley routes, The Arizona Republic,  July 13, 2008
Southeast Valley commuters will benefit from added bus services, The Arizona Republic, July 24, 2008
Study to present Grand commuter rail options, The Arizona Republic, July 24, 2008

Upcoming Events:
Local Officials Ride New Bus Routes on July 28- see below for times and locations
Mayor Gordon’s Monthly Business Coffee- Tuesday, August 5 at 8:00 am at Royal Coffee Bar

Don’t forget to visit Friends of Transit on the web at www.friendsoftransit.org!

 

Bus ridership soars in Arizona
by Jahna Berry
July. 9, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Ask April Wise why she rides the bus, and she will tell you how much it costs to fill her gas tank.

"I save about $400 a month," said the north Phoenix resident who commutes downtown to her job at a military processing center. Wise started riding about six weeks ago, after gas hit $3.50 per gallon, she said.

Ballooning gas prices - now a little more than $4 a gallon in some parts of the Valley - are changing the way many motorists commute to central Phoenix, a key regional employment center. Like commuters across the country, many are trading their car keys for bus cards.

Although buses are more popular than ever, transit agencies can't dramatically increase bus service anytime soon because of fuel and labor costs, officials say. And the surge in ridership will have a limited impact on public transit's bottom line because fares cover about 25 percent of Valley Metro's expenses, said Susan Tierney spokeswoman for the agency.

A big shift

The recent surge in bus riders has been striking, especially for the car-loving Valley, Tierney said.

"It's a whole paradigm shift," said Tierney, adding that on many routes, riders have taken for granted that they will snag a seat on the bus. "We are seeing something that we largely haven't seen before: people standing on buses."

Usually boardings - essentially one rider's one-way bus trip - go up 6 or 7 percent during a gas-price hike, she said.

In April, daily boardings on Rapid and Express buses shot up nearly 18 percent compared with the same month last year.

Rapid and Express buses are geared toward commuters and use the freeway for part of their routes. They cost slightly more than a regular bus ride: $1.75 for a one-way trip instead of $1.25.

Bus figures can be tricky to interpret. One boarding can't necessarily be counted as a person because a single rider might catch the bus twice in a day. Also, some riders carpool to work and take the bus home.

Valley trend

But it's clear that more commuters are leaving their car keys at home.

• At the Pecos Road park-and-ride in Ahwatukee Foothills, about 650 to 700 morning commuters take Rapid buses to downtown Phoenix, said Jonathan Dutson of Akal Security, a firm that monitors the lot and counts riders. A few months ago, that number was 400, Dutson said.

• In Tempe, daily boardings jumped 33 percent from February to May on a weekday Express bus route from Price and Broadway roads to downtown Phoenix. That May ridership figure is 75 percent higher than it was last year, said Sue Taaffe, a spokeswoman for Tempe's transportation department.

• In Glendale, a downtown Phoenix Express bus route that starts near Loop 101 and 75th Avenue more than doubled its daily ridership in three months, said Matthew Dudley, a Glendale transit-planning manager.

National figures mirror the Valley trend.

In the first three months of this year, people in the U.S. took nearly 85 million more trips on public transit than the same period last year, according to the American Public Transit Association. Those riders took 2.6 billion trips in January, February and March, the group reports.

Veteran Valley bus riders say that seats are getting scarce and park-and-ride lots are filling up.

Andrew Niles, a regular at the Ahwatukee Foothills park-and-ride, takes the bus to avoid the stress of bumper-to-bumper freeway traffic. He sees plenty of new faces these days.

"It's more crowded, especially in the afternoon," said the Phoenix resident who works in downtown Phoenix.

And more than a few downtown bus riders have left a fuel-hogging truck or SUV in their driveway.

"What I was driving before was a real gas guzzler," said Chase employee Barry Harris, 50, of Phoenix. "A Ford Expedition."

Thirst for options

Across the board, interest in many transit programs is high, transit officials say.

There has been an 80 percent jump in requests for carpool match lists, according to Valley Metro.

There has been a 20 percent increase in the number of bus trips made by riders who participate in employer-subsidized bus-fare programs, said Matthew Heil, a spokesman for Phoenix's Public Transit Department.

And with gas and food prices expected to remain high for the near future, that enthusiasm could mean more riders when the 20-mile light-rail line debuts in December.

"People are looking for options," said Tierney, the Valley Metro spokeswoman. "Although we are adding service, (in some areas) the demand is exceeding the supply."

Tight budgets

It's more expensive to fill a bus fuel tank these days, and if an agency wants to invest in new buses, it isn't cheap. A new bus can cost as much as $750,000, officials say.

Sales-tax revenue, the well for many local government programs and transit projects, is down due to the economy.

Recently, Phoenix's transit office was part of a painful round of citywide budget cuts. The office trimmed $3.3 million of its $213 million annual operating budget, said Lauri Wingenroth, assistant public-transit director.

The transit office cut a bus route that mirrors the light-rail route, reduced internal-technology support, will clean some bus shelters less frequently, and will not fill vacant posts, Wingenroth said.

There is some relief in sight for riders.

Light rail will add more options for commuters. Several cities, including Glendale and Phoenix, have pre-existing plans to expand park-and-ride parking lots, and an Express route between Chandler and Scottsdale will debut this summer, transit officials say.

But in the public-transit world, supply usually lags behind demand because a lot of money is already spoken for, officials say.

"What money we have is completely scheduled out," said Tierney of Valley Metro. "We don't have money sitting around to expand.

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Bus riding 101: How to make transition easier
by Richard Ruelas
Jul. 10, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

High gas prices have made the city bus inviting to frustrated and cash-strapped drivers. But thinking about the bus is several stops away from actually riding it, an act that many in this car-crazy city haven't done since elementary school.

"It's hard to shift your behavior," said Susan Tierney, a spokesperson for Valley Metro, the public-transit system serving the Phoenix area.

Such as learning the routes and the stops, and figuring out when to get to the stop, and how to pay the fare, and when to signal for a stop, and how to open the doors to get out. But once that is done and becomes routine, Tierney said, new bus riders become habitual bus riders.

That happened after the last surge in bus riders, sparked by a gasoline-pipeline break in 2003.

"People found that it wasn't necessarily gas prices, but traffic and convenience," Tierney said. "It was being able to use your time better." Commuters could relax, listen to music, read the newspaper or catch up on work.

With just a few worry-free trips to work, you could become - shudder - a bus person.

The lingo

There's a little vocabulary to learn. But at the end of the lesson, you'll have to remember only one word. That word will label what kind of bus rider you are.

You will be a Local, an Express or a Rapid.

Local buses are the buses that stick to city streets. No matter where you live in the Phoenix area, chances are that at least one local line is close by, probably named after a major street in your area.

Express and Rapid buses do a lot of freeway travel, zooming along in the carpool lane past single-driver commuters caught in traffic. Express and Rapid buses run only during the morning and evening rush hours. Some Express routes will go through neighborhoods to pick up and drop off riders at regular bus stops. But all Express and Rapid routes make use of selected parking lots, called Park-and-Rides, where people do just as the name implies.

To figure out which type of rider you are, you're going to have to look at a bus schedule.

To catch a bus

Bus schedules and routes are available online or in a thick document called the Bus Book. The system map can look like a Gordian knot. The individual maps appear to be devoid of context and landmarks. But take the time to study them.

Valley Metro's Web site (valleymetro.org) offers a trip-planner application to suggest routes based on destination and time of day.

To see if you are an Express or Rapid person, check the online list or the Bus Book. Most new riders, Tierney said, end up using the Express or Rapid routes.

Bus schedules, particularly the Express and Rapid lines, are designed to move people from suburbia into downtown Phoenix and the state Capitol during morning and afternoon rush hours. If you work traditional office hours, these will work great. If you work non-traditional hours, you may have to use the Local lines. That could make for an extremely long commute. Make sure your iPod is charged.

Or give up, resign yourself to your car and say you gave it your best shot.

Timing is everything

Be at the bus stop five minutes before the scheduled departure time, Tierney said. You may want to make it 10 minutes until you get the hang of it, particularly if co-workers tend to chat you up as you prepare to leave.

The nightmare of the bus rider is to be within shouting distance of the bus stop only to see the big carriage pull away. Bus drivers are not supposed to leave early, Tierney said. Make sure you have the right time.

For Local riders, timing may be trickier. The bus is supposed to hit major intersections at a published time, leaving it up to you to try to figure out when it should hit your particular stop.

If you fear you may have missed the bus, sit tight. Another is most likely on the way.

For Local lines in Tempe, bus frequency is every 15 minutes during weekday rush hours. In other cities, buses run every 30 minutes on weekdays.

Rapid lines depart every 10 to 20 minutes during their run times, roughly 5-8 a.m. and 3:30-6 p.m. Express buses make far fewer runs each day, so making the bus is a more pressing concern.

If you're standing in a group where everyone is looking at the time, chances are the bus is just late. If you're by yourself, you may have missed it.

My ride's here

The bus driver may see you but may not assume you want on the bus. A simple wave should suffice. If a bus that you don't want comes by, it may slow down to check. Simply wave it off.

Bus drivers seem well trained in deciphering the difference between a wave that means stop and a wave that means drive on.

Pay the driver

Local lines charge $1.25 for a single trip and $2.50 for an all-day pass. There are no transfers. If you must transfer to another bus to get to your destination or if you are doing a round trip, get the all-day pass.

Stick your money in the fare box. Bills are accepted. So are coins. Change is not given. If you want an all-day pass but have only three $1 bills, you'll be donating 50 cents to the cause.

Express and Rapid lines cost $1.75 each way or $3.50 for a one-day pass.

If you get an all-day pass, the fare box will spit out a paper ticket. Hang onto it. On your next bus, you'll slide the ticket into the reader. It will be swallowed up and then spit out again.

Bus cards, which you swipe through the box without breaking stride, can be purchased at valleymetro.org. The plastic card will be mailed to you. Also check with your employer, which may offer a corporate deal with reduced rates.

The faster you get on the bus, the better. That's hot air you're letting in while fishing for quarters at the bottom of your purse.

Stop the bus, I want off

Congratulations. You're on the bus. You may even have a seat. If not, hold onto a rail or a strap.

A cable is strung above the windows on either side of the bus. Pull it to signal the driver to stop.

On Local lines, there's a posted bus stop every quarter-mile. On Express and Rapid routes, stops are limited. You should have figured out your stop using the handy schedule.

A woman's voice over the loudspeaker will announce the next street, handy if you're napping. Tug on the cord and you should hear a ding. A display at the front of the bus will read "Stop requested."

When the driver stops the bus, head to the center exit doors. You may exit at the front, but you will impede those boarding.

Head out, wave to the driver and walk to your location. Then pat yourself on the back for saving money as well as helping the environment.

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Gilbert Road bus service gets last-minute reprieve
Mesa’s part of route only one that faced possible funding cut
By BETH LUCAS
TRIBUNE
7.11.2008

Mesa’s Gilbert Road bus line appears to have dodged a bullet, as news spread Wednesday that the state has not cut local transportation funds in this year’s budget.

The news comes the day after at least one member of the Mesa City Council argued that the city should find an alternative to cutting the route as a means of dealing with what was expected to be a loss of about $630,000 to the city in local transportation funding.

The Gilbert Road route was the only bus line Mesa could even consider cutting, based on laws that restrict cuts to buses that disproportionately affect minority groups.

The latest figures by Valley Metro show that 684 people rode the bus just along the Mesa portion of the route in October 2007, including employees who work at Boeing near Falcon Field Airport. The cut would have eliminated only the Mesa part of the route.

According to an e-mail including information from the governor’s office and Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority, news about whether the funding was cut has been conflicting since the Legislature adjourned late last month. Despite cuts elsewhere, a new $9.49 million statewide appropriation will fund the services, said Bryan Jungwirth, chief of staff for Valley Metro.

“This will help cities in a pretty big way,” he said. “At a time when gas is over $4 and our transportation systems are bursting with ridership, it’s very difficult for a city to cut services because of a budget issue.”

Mike James, Mesa’s deputy transportation director, said he’s waiting for confirmation, but it appears the state money will allow Mesa to avoid cutting the bus route between September and July 2009, when the countywide sales tax for local transportation advancement would begin to fund the majority of the Gilbert route again.

“I would consider that great news,” James said. “This is a funding source that we rely on to assist with the funding of our transit service in Mesa.”

On Tuesday night, Mesa officials believed they would need to move forward with plans to hold a public meeting in late July, and cut the route by Sept. 1.

Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh had suggested using the city’s contingency funds to keep the buses running on Gilbert Road, something that became unnecessary because of the state funding.

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Light rail makes maiden voyage
Casey Newton
Jul. 10, 2008 01:11 PM
The Arizona Republic

Light rail charged into downtown Phoenix on Thursday, making a successful maiden voyage into the heart of the Valley.

The trip, which marked the start of the vehicle's testing period in downtown Phoenix, is the latest milestone in the construction of the 20-mile, $1.4 billion system.

"This is such an exciting day," an ebullient Mayor Phil Gordon said as he exited the train.

Construction on the system is about 90 percent complete and will finish around the end of August, said Rick Simonetta, CEO of Metro light rail.

Next month, Metro will begin training operators for the 50 light-rail vehicles that will travel the route from north-central Phoenix to Tempe and Mesa. Trains, which are already testing in the East Valley, will begin regular testing downtown.

Metro used the occasion on Thursday to remind motorists and pedestrians to obey all traffic signals along the line and to be mindful of the trains, which are more quiet than other forms of transit and can sneak up on pedestrians.

The system opens Dec. 27.

"We're really happy to still be right on schedule," Simonetta said. "This is just a tremendous milestone."

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Valley Metro expands East Valley routes
July 13, 2008
by Mike Branom
Tribune

Because of sky-high gas prices, mass transit is turning into the way to go for many commuters. Now, ValleyMetro has good news with the expansion of routes serving the East Valley.

The changes to Routes 61, 65, 96, 511 and 535 go into effect the morning of July 26.

• Route 61, Southern Avenue/ 43rd Avenue to Superstition Springs Mall — Service will be offered seven days a week.

• Route 65, Mill/Kyrene — Service will be extended to the Chandler Aquatic Center.

• Route 96, Dobson Road/ Mesa Riverview to Chandler — Service will be offered seven days a week, and the route now extends from Riverview Drive to the Snedigar Sports Complex (Basha and Ocotillo roads).

• Route 511, Chandler-Scottsdale Airpark express — Morning and afternoon trips now travel in both directions; northbound trips will begin at Arizona Avenue and Chicago Street until the opening of the Chandler regional parkand-ride (Hamilton Street and Germann Road); stops include the ASU Research Park, Scottsdale Community College and Scottsdale’s planned transit center near the Mustang Library.

• Route 535, Red Mountain express/Mesa to downtown Phoenix — Service on weekdays only; two inbound morning trips begin at the Power Road and McDowell Road park-and-ride; one outbound morning trip begins at Gilbert and McKellips roads; outbound afternoon trips are the reverse of the morning routes.

For a complete list of schedule changes, visit ValleyMetro.org.

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Southeast Valley commuters will benefit from added bus services
by Jim Walsh
Jul. 23, 2008 05:19 PM
The Arizona Republic

New commuter bus routes are starting in the Southeast Valley on Monday with nearly perfect timing, giving Mesa and Chandler residents a choice between mass transit or paying $4 a gallon for gasoline.

The service includes the first commuter bus route on the Loop 101 freeway, connecting employment centers in Chandler and Scottsdale. Northeast Mesa residents also get express service to Phoenix along Loop 202.

Mesa residents, who have complained for years about the lack of Sunday bus service in the city, gain Sunday service on routes along Southern Avenue and Dobson Road.

The service comes courtesy of Proposition 400, which authorized a half-cent sales tax increase in 2004 that runs until 2025 to support light rail, freeway expansion and more bus routes.

"Proposition 400 had a lot of foresight. Fortunately, the voters approved it. Now, they're reaping the benefits," said Susan Tierney, a Valley Metro spokeswoman. "No one back then knew we'd have $4-a-gallon gasoline."

Mike James, Mesa's deputy transportation director, said, "The timing is great. If it could have just been a month ago, when gas went from $3 to $4 a gallon."

Mike Normand, Chandler's transportation services and planning manager, said the service demonstrates how Southeast Valley cities have matured as the result of growth.

"There's a lot of transportation demand in the East Valley itself. The commuter demand to Chandler is actually greater than from the East Valley cities to Phoenix," he said. "We have some major employers in Chandler and Scottsdale."

Normand said the new bus routes are just a start.

"We're putting the pieces together to have a fairly extensive express bus system," he said.

Tierney said transportation officials are hoping that the new Route 535, the Red Mountain-Downtown Phoenix Express, will alleviate crowded buses on Routes 532 and 533, which make stops along McKellips Road.

The new express service on Route 535 includes two morning trips from Power and McDowell roads and one trip from Gilbert and McKellips road. The new routes eventually would stop at the Tempe Transit Center in December, allowing commuters to connect to the Metro light rail line when service is running.

The entire system of express buses is designed to connect with light rail. Chandler and Mesa residents, for instance, could take Route 96 along Dobson Road to the Mesa Transit Center at Longmore and Main Street to connect with Metro light rail.

Although Route 96 exists, it will be expanded north to serve Mesa Riverview and south to Ocotillo Road in Chandler, with service seven days a week.

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Study to present Grand commuter rail options
by Cecilia Chan
Jul. 24, 2008 06:54 AM
The Arizona Republic

A proposal for commuter rail service that would carry passengers between downtown Phoenix and Wickenburg is picking up steam.

The Maricopa Association of Governments Executive Committee this week hired URS to come up with detailed options to implement commuter service along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway line on the Grand Avenue corridor. The firm, which is based in San Francisco and has an office in Phoenix, also will look at such components as cost and potential ridership.

"It would allow people who live here to travel quickly to the urban center, which is Tempe, Mesa and downtown Phoenix," said Peoria Councilman Ron Aames, who sits on the MAG Transportation Policy Committee.

Aames said that the population of Maricopa County is expected to double over the next 25 years and that "we need to move things forward to reduce congestion and pollution. It's a win-win all around."

The study will commence in the next six to eight weeks and take a year to complete, said Kevin Wallace, MAG Transit Program manager. Meetings to solicit public input and provide updates will be held as the study develops, he said.

The study will look at what capital improvements are needed, where to site stations and how to tie commuter rail in with buses and light rail.

"There are a lot of issues we are looking at," Wallace said. "We are trying to see if passenger rail can fit into that corridor as a long-term strategy for moving people."

Meanwhile, a newly formed group of Northwest Valley cities also is studying commuter rail along the Grand Avenue Corridor.

The so-called Grand Avenue Coalition of cities - Peoria, Surprise, Phoenix, Glendale and El Mirage - is looking at land planning, transportation and economic development should commuter rail come to fruition.

"We are sitting down and talking about what types of things we need to do to address impacts commuter rail might have," said Pat Dennis, El Mirage's intergovernmental affairs coordinator and a former Peoria councilwoman. "We will put together eventually a nice piece that can be used by cities for guidance for future planning efforts."

Aames added that the coalition was not just looking at commuter rail but working with the Arizona Department of Transportation on the full development of Grand Avenue.

The coalition also is taking a keen interest in a commuter-rail study that the Maricopa Association of Governments is launching in the next several weeks.

The study follows on the heels of MAG's strategic plan, which looked at commuter rail and what kind of interest and support there was for the project, said Kevin Wallace, MAG Transit Program manager.

The new study will look at how to implement passenger service on freight rails, Wallace said.

The cost of the project will depend on a number of factors, such as how fast the system would transport passengers, how far it would run and the frequency of service, he said.

"We are going to put together operating scenarios with different levels of services and different ideas how to phase the line in over time," Wallace said. "It's not likely the first phase would get all the way from downtown Phoenix to Wickenburg. It would take several phases to get that far."

After the completion of the study in about 12 months, the next big challenge is finding the funds for the project.

Aames said stakeholders have their fingers crossed that voters this November will pass the Transportation and Infrastructure Moving Arizona's Economy Act, or TIME, which calls for a 1-cent sales-tax increase over 30 years to upgrade the statewide transportation system. A portion of the monies would fund commuter rail.

"The timeline to implement (commuter rail) doesn't start until we identify the funding," Wallace said.

An agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe, which owns the rail line, also has to be signed to make the project a go. BNSF so far is receptive to the idea.

"It's a very positive thing," Aames said of commuter rail. "There's a lot of support for doing this."

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Local Officials Ride New Bus Routes on July 28
MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Susan Tierney
Public Information Officer
602.262.4668
stierney@valleymetro.org

WHO: Mayors and Councilmembers from Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa and Scottsdale are taking or meeting the bus on July 28 to celebrate the first day of new express bus service in their communities.

WHAT: Join us for the inaugural express bus trips from designated locations and interview the elected officials and passengers about the new bus service and how it will benefit their communities.

WHY:   The new express routes, funded by the Proposition 400 funded Regional Transportation Plan, will help ease the pain at the gas pump while improving air quality.

WHEN & WHERE: Monday, July 28 (see exact times and locations below)

HOW: It’s free for the first week of service—how easy can it get!
 

Plan to arrive early for interviews with elected officials! For specific locations and the full schedules of each route, go to www.valleymetro.org.

Valley Metro/RPTA is an organization of 14 local governments that provides or funds transit services to citizens in the greater Phoenix metropolitan and surrounding areas. For more information about Valley Metro public transit services, call Transit Information at (602) 253-5000; for callers with TTY (602) 261-8208; or visit the Valley Metro website at www.ValleyMetro.org.

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Mayor Gordon's Monthly Business Coffee

Light Rail is going to change the way we work, live and explore downtown Phoenix.  Rick Simonetta, CEO of Valley Metro Rail, will join Mayor Gordon to provide a passenger's perspective of riding the new light rail system, and share practical information about riding the rail.

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
8:00 am to 9:00 am Royal Coffee Bar & Sweet Pea Bakery
209 West Jackson Street
www.royalcoffeebar.com

Coffee will be provided!

Parking is available curbside. Be sure to bring change for the meters!

Please RSVP to mayor.rsvp@phoenix.gov

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