Title
April 2021 Proposed Bus Service Improvements
Description
This report requests the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee recommend City Council approval of the staff-recommended April 2021 bus service changes. If approved, the service changes will take effect April 26, 2021.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT ACTION.
Report
Summary
Bus service changes are coordinated regionally and occur in April and October of each year. The Public Transit Department (PTD) is focused on improving the efficiency and reliability of Phoenix’s transit system to best serve our passengers’ needs. The semiannual bus service review considers public input and staff analysis to identify potential improvements that may include schedule changes, service efficiencies, or adding route connections.
In early 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PTD implemented numerous measures to keep the riding public and transit employees safe, including enhanced cleaning protocols, altering service delivery in consideration of social distancing measures, and modifying transit facility access and hours to reflect measures implemented at other city facilities. In addition to these efforts, PTD also modified bus service due to declining ridership, impacts to transit workforces, and uncertainty from potential revenue shortfalls. Of note is that peak and mid-day local route frequencies were maintained to avoid causing higher vehicle loads and reducing the likelihood of social distancing on buses. All these measures will remain in place until conditions throughout the transit environment permit the restoration of services and an eventual return to normal operations.
PTD suspended planned service enhancement proposals for October 2020 due to the continuing conditions brought on by COVID-19, specifically the fluctuation of ridership and potential revenue shortfalls brought on by the decrease in ridership and modified boarding procedures.
As PTD continues to monitor existing service levels and develops plans to restore reduced service levels using a phased approach, PTD and Valley Metro solicited public comments on the following proposed service changes that would take effect in April 2021 if approved by the Phoenix City Council (see maps in Attachment A).
Local Route 32 (32nd St.) - Eliminate Baseline Road service duplication
Route 32 is funded jointly by Phoenix and Tempe and was last extended in April 2018 to provide service on south 40th Street in Phoenix and then connect to Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe via Baseline Road. The Baseline Rd. segment currently duplicates with Route 77, which the proposed change would eliminate as part of a cost savings measure. If implemented, any necessary transfers can take place between Routes 32 and 77 at Baseline Rd. and 40th St.
Local Route 108 (Elliott Rd./48th St.) - Modify Saturday/Sunday frequency
Route 108 is funded jointly by Phoenix, Tempe, and Valley Metro. The west end of the route runs for four miles on 48th Street and Elliot Road in Phoenix, with the rest of the route operating within Tempe, Chandler, and Gilbert. Currently, the route operates every 30 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays for the shorter Phoenix segment of the trip, and every 60 minutes in the other cities. The proposed change is in response to low ridership and would modify the Phoenix segment to match the majority of the route’s 60-minute schedule. The higher weekend frequency is currently suspended as part of COVID-19 related service reductions. If approved, the reduction would become permanent, with the ability to restore 30-minute frequency, should ridership demand it in the future.
Express Route 522 (South Tempe Express) - Eliminate neighborhood pick-up service
Route 522 is an Express Route funded by Valley Metro, connecting Ahwatukee in Phoenix and Tempe to Downtown Phoenix during peak service hours. The primary park-and-ride this route serves is the Tempe Sports Complex, along with service along Hardy Drive, Elliot Road, Warner Road, and Interstate 10.
For inbound (morning) routing, half of the trips begin pick-up service in Ahwatukee (on 48th St. between Elliot and Warner Roads) before servicing the Tempe Sports Complex and then proceeding downtown. The other half of the route’s inbound trips begin in Tempe neighborhoods in the vicinity of Warner and Elliot roads before connecting to the Tempe Sports Complex and then proceeding downtown. For the outbound (afternoon) trips, the service is reversed.
Due to low ridership, the proposed service change initiated by Tempe is to eliminate neighborhood pick-ups, resulting in all Route 522 trips beginning and ending at the Tempe Sports Complex. If approved, pick-up service in Ahwatukee would transition to the sports complex. Phoenix currently funds a portion of the route via the city’s share of the regional Public Transit Fund (PTF).
The process for successfully implementing the proposed service changes beginning April 26, 2021 includes the following:
- Conduct required public outreach and public hearing (regional effort): Completed on Dec. 4, 2020;
- Citizens Transportation Commission (CTC) approval: Dec. 17, 2020;
- Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee and City Council for approval by February 2021;
- Prepare transit books, develop operational plan and coordinate with service providers: February - April 2021; and
- Implement approved bus service improvements: April 26, 2021.
Financial Impact
The annual impact of the April 2021 proposed changes is a net savings of $284,000 on Phoenix local funds and a net savings of $45,000 on Phoenix regional Public Transit Funds, see Attachment B.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval at the Citizen's Transportation Commission meeting on Dec. 17, 2020, by a vote of 10-0.
Public Outreach
The Public Transit Department and Valley Metro used the following public outreach process for the proposed April 2021 bus service changes, including:
- Public Comment Period between Nov. 2, 2020 - Dec. 4, 2020;
- Proposed service change details and online survey posted at: https://www.valleymetro.org/maps-schedules/service-changes/april-2021;
- On-board announcements requesting passengers to provide input on the proposed service changes;
- Flyers posted at impacted stops along the routes; and
- Public hearing held online by Valley Metro on Nov. 18, 2020.
There were 145 total comments and suggestions received about the proposed April service changes, with 67 of those registering an opinion on Phoenix routes. Attachment C summarizes the feedback by route for the service changes within Phoenix.
Based on the feedback received, Public Transit planning staff further reviewed the Route 108 Saturday and Sunday frequency reduction proposal. Currently, the route is scheduled to operate every 30 minutes in Phoenix and every 60 minutes outside of Phoenix on weekends - every other Phoenix trip continues east to Tempe and Chandler, in which the majority of the route operates. These shorter trips in Phoenix are averaging three passengers per trip. The longer trips are averaging nine passengers per trip on weekends. With the short trips in Phoenix eliminated, the longer trips will still have the capacity to provide a reliable ride for passengers impacted by the elimination of the shorter trips. If ridership increases in the future, Phoenix can reconsider schedule changes.
As required by FTA Circular 4702.1B, a Title VI analysis for the proposed service changes was conducted. Per the City’s Title VI policies, neither service change proposal qualifies as a major service changes that would potentially impact low-income and/or minority populations.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.