Title
July 2025 Proposed Bus Service Changes - Districts 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
Description
This report requests the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee recommend City Council approval of the staff-recommended July 2025 bus service changes. If approved, the service changes will take effect July 28, 2025.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT ACTION.
Report
Summary
The Public Transit Department (PTD) is proposing to modify local bus service on Central Avenue in connection with the upcoming opening of the five-mile South Central Light Rail extension on Central Avenue from downtown Phoenix to Baseline Road. The proposed service change on Central Avenue would recombine Route 0 and Route 0A back into a single bus route. In addition, service frequency on the combined route would be modified in anticipation of some riders shifting transit modes to use light rail.
Current Route Description
- Route 0 (Central Ave): Route 0 operates on Central Avenue between Sunnyslope Transit Center (to the north) and Van Buren Street in downtown Phoenix (to the south).
- Route 0A (South Central Shuttle): Route 0A operates on Central Avenue between Van Buren Street (to the north) and Dobbins Road (to the south).
Proposed Service Change
See proposed service change maps in Attachment A.
- Route 0 (Central Ave): Recombine with Route 0A and modify the weekday route frequency from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes. The combined route mitigates duplicative service with the introduction of light rail service to South Phoenix.
- Route 0A (South Central Shuttle): Recombine with Route 0 and modify the weekday route frequency from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes. The combined route mitigates duplicative service with the introduction of light rail service to South Phoenix.
Prior to October 2020, local bus service on Central Avenue was served by a single Route 0 that operated between Sunnyslope Transit Center and Dobbins Road seven days a week.
In October 2020, local bus service on Central Avenue was split into two routes in coordination with light rail construction activities on Central Avenue. The Route 0 segment north of Van Buren Street continued to operate as Route 0 and maintained its pre-construction frequency of every 20 minutes. The Route 0 segment south of Van Buren Street was split into a new Route 0A that was scheduled to run every 15 minutes on weekdays between Van Buren Street and Baseline Road. The Route 0A segment south of Baseline Road is scheduled to run every 30 minutes.
The proposed change would once again merge the two routes back together with the completion of the South Central Light Rail extension project. PTD anticipates that demand for Route 0 service will be reduced, as some riders will choose to ride light rail once the extension is operational. While Route 0’s proposed frequency adjustment north of Van Buren from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes is unrelated to the South Central Light Rail project, recent passenger load analysis indicates that a frequency reduction would still meet passenger needs on Route 0.
Public Outreach
The Public Transit Department used the locally adopted public outreach process to solicit public feedback on proposed service changes. Also, the Title VI Service Equity Analysis is attached (Attachment B).
The public input process took place during March through early April 2025. During the public comment period, Phoenix and Valley Metro staff conducted outreach utilizing posters and A-Frame signs placed at key areas along Route 0 and 0A to notify passengers of the proposed changes and directed passengers to visit Valley Metro’s website to submit comments. The proposed changes were also advertised via social media and on-board bus public messaging announcements. A hybrid public hearing was held on March 20 at Valley Metro’s offices, Conference Room 10A and virtually, for the public to attend and provide comments.
Overall, 92 total comments and suggestions were received about Phoenix’s proposed service changes, with 79 registering either a positive or negative option on each service change proposal. The results of the public input by route are as follows:
- 28 Support (35 percent)
- 51 Against (65 percent)
Most of the comments received point to the general need to increase transit throughout the Valley. During in-person outreach efforts, PTD staff shared that the proposed bus route change is a result of the plan to implement the South Central Light Rail Extension on Central Avenue that overlaps with the bus route, while expanding the overall quality of the transit network.
The proposed modification in frequency for the recombined Route 0 is part of an overall planning strategy that helps to redistribute resources to operate the new two-line rail system and remove duplicative transit service over much of Route 0’s alignment. Several comments suggested maintaining a frequency less than every 30 minutes on Central Avenue north of Van Buren Street. This proposal was evaluated, although based on current and projected passenger load data, Route 0 will have adequate capacity to continue serving passenger needs.
Current passenger loads on Route 0 north of Van Buren Street indicate there is adequate seating capacity at the 20-minute weekday frequency. Transit service volume and capacity for Route 0 based on Fall 2024 passenger data calculated at the 90th percentile indicates expected passenger loads are typically well below bus capacity. When lowering route seat capacity by modifying service to every 30 minutes on weekdays, assuming the same passenger demand, there would still be more than enough transit capacity to handle expected passenger loads (Attachment C - graphs 1 and 2).
When examining where Route 0 currently is seeing higher transit demand, it is highest at the segment between Thomas Road and Camelback Road, which is influenced by the presence of Central High School located between Indian School Road and Camelback Road. This section of the route is also serviced by Valley Metro’s Light Rail B Line, which is anticipated to improve its frequency from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes prior to the proposed Route 0 change taking effect. With the expected improvement on the nearby light rail line, PTD expects no crowding issues on Route 0 (Attachment C - graph 3).
Based on the feedback received, PTD is recommending implementing the proposed service change on Route 0 and 0A. Staff will continue monitoring overall Route 0 ridership to ensure it meets performance and ridership expectations.
Service Equity Analysis
Per FTA regulations, a Title VI Service Equity Analysis on the proposed service change was conducted to analyze if the proposed change causes a disparate impact on minority populations or yields a disproportionate burden towards low-income populations. According to the established major service change policy for the region, Route 0 and 0A’s merger and frequency reduction for July 2025 qualifies as a major service change, therefore further service equity analysis was required. The proposed service change may have a disparate impact on minority populations and also cause a disproportionate burden on low-income population if no mitigation strategies are offered. The mitigation strategy on the proposed service change is the implementation of the South Central Light Rail Extension and associated frequency improvement on the rail lines to carry transit riders on Central Avenue. Details of the Title VI analysis for the proposed July 2025 proposed service change are included for Subcommittee review (Attachment B).
Financial Impact
The proposed July 2025 service change will decrease PTD’s operating budget expense by approximately $1,579,000 annually.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval at:
The Citizens Transportation Commission on March 27, 2025, by a vote of 11-0.
Location
Council Districts: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.