Phoenix City Council approves improved bus service to start in October

Longer service hours for both bus and Dial-a-Ride service

phoenix – Throughout the development of the Transportation 2050 (T2050) plan, Phoenix residents spoke about wanting more service hours – and we listened.

The Phoenix City Council approved a major milestone in the future of the city's transit landscape today, which adds bus service hours and frequency when scheduled service changes take effect this october.

“We heard loud and clear from Phoenix residents that they want the option to catch a bus later in the evening just as they do with light rail, and they want more frequent service to reduce wait times at bus stops,” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. “Providing more options for working families and residents is what our long-term transportation plan is all about, and that's what we are going to deliver.”

The improvements equal a 20 percent increase in service miles, from about 17 to 20 million. This means more service hours and shorter wait times for Phoenix bus riders.

In 2014, the Phoenix Public Transit Department went directly to the public to ask what they wanted from the voter-approved Transportation 2050 plan. Among the many suggestions the public gave during early outreach was longer bus hours that match the light rail schedule, and more frequent bus service.

The $17 million improvements include extending the service day by three hours every day of the week for Phoenix's 44 local fixed bus routes and Dial-a-Ride. In addition, those same routes will have a frequency of 30 minutes or less, seven days a week – in particular during off-peak hours and the weekend.

“Last year Phoenix residents voted to approve a transportation plan that would include enhanced bus service,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams who chairs the City Council's Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. “Today, the Phoenix City Council voted to approve a plan for more hours of service and increased frequency—improved service that was a direct result of input from our residents. Transportation infrastructure with bus service that connects residents to their destinations and attracts economic development is what our residents asked for and it is what Phoenix is committed to deliver.”

This is just the first step in this service expansion.

In April, Phoenix Public Transit Department is proposing the expansion of bus service to match light rail hours seven days a week, another 1.3 million service revenue miles. The two-phase implementation allows the city's two bus service providers to hire and train the 200-plus employees it takes to drive and maintain the buses for this service improvement. The total miles to be added to the system in both October and April is nearly 4.5 million miles.

T2050's impact on Phoenix transit has just started. Other improvements transit riders can look forward to in the coming months are new shade shelters throughout the city, construction of bus bays and more new buses and Dial-a-Ride vehicles.

Check out what some of our transit users have to say about the service upgrades:

English – https://youtu.be/dIZk0jbdY9I and Español – https://youtu.be/xJ7av2iG8Bo

* ^{– Matches light hours}

Routes adding frequency: 0 – Central Ave., 1 – Washington Ave./Jefferson Ave.*, 3 – Van Buren Road*, 12 – 12th St.*, 13 – Buckeye Rd.*, 15 – 15th Ave., 16 – 16th St., 17 – McDowell Rd., 19 – 19th Ave., 28 – Lower Buckeye Rd., 29 – Thomas Rd.*, 39 – 40th St., 41 – Indian School Rd.*, 43 – 43rd Ave., 44 – 44th St. Tatum Blvd., 50 – Camelback Rd., 51 – 51st Ave.*, 52 – Roeser Rd., 59 – 59th Ave., 67 – 67th Ave., 75 – 75th Ave., 83 – 83rd Ave., 106 – Peoria Ave.,122 – Cactus Rd.*, 138 – Thunderbird Rd., 154 – Greenway Road, 186 – Union Hills Dr./Mayo Blvd., Valley Metro operated routes in Phoenix 30 – University Drive, 77 – Baseline Rd., 108 – Elliot Rd./48th St.

* ^{– includes weekday frequency improvements, all other Saturday and Sunday improvements.}

About the Phoenix Public Transit Department:

The Phoenix Public Transit Department provides Phoenix residents a variety of transit options and is the largest member of the Valley Metro regional transit system. Services range from local and commuter buses to alternative transportation for senior citizens and special needs. The city of Phoenix funds transit, and other transportation improvements, through Transportation 2050 (T2050) – a local sales tax approved by Phoenix voters in 2015 – as well as county and federal funds. T2050 allows for enhanced bus service, transit-related technology improvements and fare media upgrades under the leadership of the Citizens Transportation Commission. Visit us at phoenix.gov/publictransit or follow us on Twitter for the latest news.

For more information, please visit: https://www.phoenix.gov/news/publictransit/1361

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