February 16, 2010

Friends,

While registration for the Friends of Transit 8^th Annual Conference, coming up next week on Friday, February 26, has officially closed, the excitement and buzz leading up to the event continues to mount. This year will see near record attendance as we discuss how we can keep transit moving.  A copy of the program is posted to our website at www.friendsoftransit.org.

In the News:
Metro sets public hearings for service cuts, The Arizona Republic, February 12, 2010
New look train appears Sunday, Metro’s ad campaign is here, The Arizona Republic, February 12, 2010
Budget woes again could cut Ahwatukee bus service, The Arizona Republic, February 15, 2010

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

 

Metro sets public hearings for service cuts
Sean Holstege
The Arizona Republic
Light Rail Blog
Friday, February 12, 2010 at 12:54 PM 

Metro has scheduled two hearings in March for the public to voice concerns about potential service cuts. Changes would take effect in July.

The first will be March 2 in Metro's downtown Phoenix boardroom. The second is in Tempe on March 9. Both meetings run from 6 to 8 p.m.. Details of the locations and potential service cuts can be found on Metro’s Web site.
 

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New look train appears Sunday, Metro's ad campaign is here
Sean Holstege
The Arizona Republic
Light Rail Blog
Friday, February 12, 2010 at 04:17 PM 

Metro riders may notice a new-look train as early as Sunday. Work crews were wrapping a single car with advertising for Grand Canyon University.

The train will be in service for six months, and represents the first income Metro will receive in its new advertising campaign. Last fall, Metro hired CBS Outdoor to manage its systemwide ad program. Ads could pop up at stations, on platforms or inside trains. Metro also has opened the door to selling the naming rights for stations and the system overall. Metro is hoping it can generate $350,000 from advertising.

“We are excited because this is our first sale. It allows us to showcase that we are open for advertising business,” Metro spokeswoman Hillary Foose said.
 

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Budget woes again could cut Ahwatukee bus service
by Cathryn Creno 
Feb. 15, 2010 09:56 AM
The Arizona Republic

The Ahwatukee Local Explorer circulator bus drops off Scott and Chris Biersack in front of Horizon Honors High School at 7:45 a.m. five days a week.

The teens acknowledge that they could walk to and from to Horizon, a charter school that does not have a bus. But they estimate that the ALEX lift gives them an additional 40 minutes a day for studying, school activities or fun.

But that lift from the city-run bus service soon may become even rarer than it was a year ago, thanks to more proposed budget cuts.

The Biersacks typically are joined by about a dozen other Horizon students -- and a few adults heading past the school to Pecos Community Center. ALEX typically makes three additional passes by Horizon on weekdays, bringing additional students to school right before the 8 a.m. start time.

"We've been riding it for five or six years," said Scott, 16 and a junior. "I have my license, but I don't have a car. We take ALEX all over town."

The 19-seat buses give Ahwatukee residents about 1,500 rides a day on weekdays and about 500 on weekends, according to the Phoenix Public Transit Department.

The numbers are going down. Since the city trimmed ALEX hours and arrival times last July, ridership has dropped about 25 percent from the previous year on weekdays and about 40 percent from the previous year on weekends, city numbers shows.

Transit officials now want Phoenix City Council to save $889,000 over the next two years with 15 percent cuts to ALEX service and four similar neighborhood circulators in other parts of the city.

Officials have proposed reducing travel by the five small buses by about 200,000 miles annually - or by about 256,000 annual passenger trips. The cuts would take effect July 26.

Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio said it's still unclear how ALEX routes and hours would be affected.

"Everything is moving so fast right now," DiCiccio said. "We still have to figure out how to handle it all."

A year ago, DiCiccio appointed a committee, including a student from Mountain Pointe High School, to figure out the most fair way to cut back ALEX service. "I liked how the committee worked," DiCiccio said.

But he and transit staff are not sure there will be enough staff and resources this year to support another panel.

Last year, cuts to the circulator program met strong protest by both kids and adults in Ahwatukee.

The city has not done a formal demographic study of ALEX users, but drivers report that the majority of riders are middle and high school students.

Still, dozens of adults showed up at public discussions on the cuts last year, and some are expected Thursday, when city officials will hold a hearing on the proposed city budget for 2010-11 in Ahwatukee.

Some said they had no other transportation to local businesses. Others reported using the circulator to get to jobs in the area or to a city park and ride lot at 40th Street and Pecos Road.

Horizon High principal Nancy Emmons said she is not aware that last year's cuts disrupted any student's transportation to or from school. She said most students are dropped off at the school by parents on their way to work.

"We have been fortunate to have ALEX stop right by our school," said Horizon spokeswoman Melissa Hartley. "But we would not envision any cuts having an impact on our enrollment."

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