Sun Tran is holding a total of ten community input sessions through April to propose changes regarding transit schedule and routes.
“When we did our comprehensive operation analysis, it was to be cost neutral,” said Davita Mueller, transit planning manager from Sun Tran. “We took all of the miles and hours that we were operating at that time and looked at how we could make the system better using those same miles and hours.”
#A new route and Sun On Demand zone#
The changes would include the first Sun On Demand service on the east side, serving as a supplemental service to existing bus routes. Sun On Demand services are shared, curb-to-curb rides that are available through the Sun Tran app or through a phone call, and can be reserved one to seven days in advance.
This would be the third Sun On Demand zone in Tucson next to the existing two on the west side.
“We had a lot of people trying to get to different locations, the Walmart and Houghton and Golf Links is a good example,” Mueller said. “We have no transit that gets there, but we also have other areas in the middle where people are taking two buses or three buses to get to a doctor's office.”
Another new service would be Route 124X, which would merge Express Routes 102X and 104X. Route 103X would be renamed Northwest - Downtown Express to Northwest - UA Express.
“The ridership on both routes have dramatically decreased over time, Covid was a big factor in this,” Mueller said. “We'd like to make this a little bit more efficient and still get people to work downtown. The only difference is the 102X will no longer go to the U of A, but the 103X will continue to go there.”
#Potential changes in existing bus routes#
Three existing bus routes could face service and operation changes in the upcoming months.
Route 4, operating on East Speedway Boulevard, could have extended weekend operation until 11 pm on Saturdays and 10 pm on Sundays. The Kolb Road portion of the route would be served by Route 9, as Route 4 would travel to Udall Transit Station instead of operating on Kolb Road. However, there is a possibility to extend Route 4 along either Wilmot or Kolb Road.
“We're going to ask you specifically, which element works better,” said Mueller at the first community meeting on Apr. 13.
Route 8, operating on Broadway Boulevard, would extend its service frequency to every 15 minutes from Wilmot Road to Houghton Road, and extend its weekend service to 11 pm on Saturdays and 10 pm on Sundays. The route is proposed to stay on Broadway and would not travel to Wilmot to Udall Transit Station.
Additionally, 108X Broadway-Downtown Express would be merged with Route 8.
“Because the route would be every 15 minutes, no matter where you are on Broadway, the 108X would be kind of folded into it,” said Mueller.
Route 9 on Grant and Kolb Roads would operate every 30 minutes and would have extended weekend hours. The route would serve the Kolb Road portion of Route 4, and extend its route from Golf Links Road to Pima Community College East Campus on Kolb and Escalante Roads.
#Bus stop and sign improvements#
With the help of a Federal Transit Administration grant for bus and bus facilities, Mueller and her team will also plan to improve 80 bus stops with amenities, as well as redesigning all 2200 bus stop signs. The goal is to make them more accessible for the community, including the visually impaired, with potential use of Braille, QR codes or larger numbers.
Mueller said they are asking public feedback before proposing the changes to the Mayor and council at the end of May. The changes would be implemented in August.
The community input sessions will run until Monday, Apr. 27.
