Title
October 2021 Proposed Bus Service Changes (Ordinance S-47695)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to implement proposed bus service changes that would take effect on Oct. 25, 2021.
Report
Summary
The Public Transit Department (PTD) constantly focuses on improving the effectiveness and reliability of Phoenix’s transit system to best serve passengers’ needs while efficiently operating the City’s transit fleet. Accordingly, PTD works with regional transit partners and the public on making schedule changes, implementing service efficiencies, and adding route connections during the regional service change windows each April and October.
During the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant declines in both transit ridership and fare revenue collections across the region. As a result, bus, rail, and paratransit services are currently operating differently than pre-pandemic methods of service delivery.
Service delivery strategies are expected to transition back to normal operations later this year, it is recognized that fully restoring all transit services at once may not be necessary. At this time, PTD is not proposing major service improvements. As of April 2020, Phoenix bus service ends at approximately 11:00 p.m. (before the pandemic, service ran to 12:00 a.m. on Monday through Thursday, to 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and to 11:00 p.m. on Sunday). For all bus routes (and their frequencies, hours of operation, and proposed extensions), PTD continues monitoring ridership closely and will continue proposing service change recommendations as needs arise to address ridership increases, community feedback, economy reopening, and continuation of residential and commercial developments across Phoenix.
Although major service improvements are not recommended at this juncture, PTD does propose some bus route changes resulting from construction for the South Central/Downtown Hub Light Rail Project and its impact on local traffic and bus service. If approved, these route changes would be implemented in October 2021. PTD plans to offset its proposed route changes with improvements to service and frequency for adjacent routes within the corridor.
The proposed changes are as follows:
Route 0A (South Central Shuttle)
Current Route
In October 2020, Route 0 (Central Avenue) was split into two routes to accommodate construction detours more effectively and traffic delays on Central Avenue in downtown and South Phoenix. Those changes resulted in:
- Route 0 (Central Avenue) - for the north end of the route; this route consists of local bus service between the Sunnyslope Transit Center and Van Buren Street; and
- Route 0A (South Central Shuttle) - for the south end of the route; this route consists of local bus service between Van Buren Street and Dobbins Road.
Currently, Route 0A operates every 20 minutes on weekdays and 30 minutes on the weekend, with an additional weekday peak frequency of every 10 minutes between Van Buren Street and Baseline Road. This route has more frequent service than Route 0 (north end of the route), which operates at 20-minute service frequency throughout the weekday.
Proposed Changes
Due to construction along Central Avenue, it has become difficult to maintain the current 10-minute frequency. This often leads to the bunching of multiple buses throughout the corridor. As a result, PTD proposes revising the frequency to 15-minute frequency between 6:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, and to 30-minute frequency outside of these core times between Van Buren Street and Baseline Road. These changes would be made along with the proposals to increase service frequency for a section of Route 7 and to extend the end-of-line destination for Route 8, both described below, which would help mitigate the construction impacts on Route 0A. Frequency south of Baseline Road will be revised to every 30 minutes all day.
Route 7 (7th Street)
Current Route
Route 7 currently operates on Seventh Street between Deer Valley and Dobbins roads, with deviations to Central Avenue at Van Buren Street, and at Broadway Road to the Ed Pastor Transit Center. Service frequency is every 20 minutes for most of the day, with 30-minute frequency during off-peak hours and on the weekends.
Proposed Changes
The Public Transit Department proposes removing the route deviation at Broadway Road, while also doubling the number of trips between Van Buren Street and Baseline Road from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays. This will result in trips every 10 minutes at peak times and every 15 minutes otherwise.
By increasing frequency along with removing the route deviation, ridership data shows that Route 7 serves as a viable alternative to Route 0A because of existing transit service on all the main crossroads in South Phoenix (Broadway Road, Southern Avenue, etc.).
Route 8 (7th Avenue)
Current Route
Route 8 operates on Seventh Avenue between Dunlap Avenue and Baseline Road with deviations to Central Avenue at Van Buren Street, and at Broadway Road to the Ed Pastor Transit Center. Service operates every 30 minutes seven days a week.
Proposed Changes
As with Route 7, PTD proposes removing the route’s deviation at Broadway Road. In addition, the route’s end-of-line destination would be extended to Baseline Road and Central Avenue, providing connectivity to Route 0A for riders who may need to travel south to Dobbins Road.
Route 52 (Roeser Road)
Current Route
Route 52 operates on Roeser Road between 19th Avenue and 48th Street, with a deviation at Broadway Road to the Ed Pastor Transit Center. Service operates every 30 minutes, seven days a week.
Proposed Changes
Similar to Route 7 and Route 8, PTD proposes removing the route deviation at Broadway Road.
In summary, the proposed changes include revised frequencies and removal of the route deviation to Central Avenue and Broadway Road. PTD will evaluate each route’s ridership, passenger connections, and potential return to the transit center once light rail construction is complete. See Attachment A for maps of all proposed service changes.
Financial Impact
The proposed changes result in a cost reduction of $230,000 annually; each route is summarized below:
- Route 0A (South Central Shuttle) - $(389,000)
- Route 7 (7th Street) - $540,000
- Route 8 (7th Avenue) - $(117,000)
- Route 52 (Roeser Road) - $(264,000)
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Citizen's Transportation Commission recommended approval of this item on May 27, 2021, by a vote of 10-0.
Public Outreach
The Public Transit Department used the locally adopted public outreach process to solicit public feedback on proposed service changes. The process opened on May 3 and ended on June 4, and included methods such as:
- Posting proposed service change details and an online passenger survey;
- Implementing on-board announcements requesting passenger input on the proposed service changes;
- Posting flyers at impacted stops along affected routes; and
- Conducting joint online public hearing with Valley Metro on May 19, 2021.
The Public Transit Department is recommending the proposed service changes because light rail construction will continue to impact overall bus operations and passengers' ability to make connections on time according to the published schedule. By way of example, Route 0A is currently able to adhere to its schedule only 29 percent of the time due to the traffic congestion it is encountering. It is important that passengers be able to rely on established transit schedules in order to ensure they can arrive to their destinations at or near expected times. If these service changes are implemented, PTD believes that they will aid in overall on-time bus performance and passenger connectivity along each route.
Once construction activities are complete, PTD will reevaluate the bus network in South Phoenix to best work in tandem with the South Central rail extension on Central Avenue. As required by Federal Transit Administration Circular 4702.1B, a Title VI analysis for the proposed service changes was conducted. Under the City’s Title VI policies, neither service change proposal qualifies as a major service change that would potentially impact low-income and/or minority populations.
See Attachment B for the most recent results of feedback received by Valley Metro.
Location
Council Districts: 7 and 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.