R2004-91 APPROVING TRANSIT SERVICE REDUCTIONS

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• Two routes could be interlined so that one bus would operate both routes. The headways on both routes would have to be doubled, either from 30 minutes to one hour, or from one hour to two hours. Riders on both routes would be affected. • One route that now uses two buses to operate on 30 minute headways could be changed to using only one bus to operate on one hour headways. Riders on only one route would be affected. DPTS staff focused on the second option. There are five routes that use two buses to operate on 30 minute headways. The following list shows the five routes and the number of passengers canied by each route in 2003: #61 Water- Hickory Point Ma11.................................132,043 passengers #21 Monroe - Wal-Mart North...................................107,923 passengers #51 Jasper- Park 101................................................. 98,487 passengers #11 Martin Luther King Dr- Meadowlark................. 82,472 passengers I #41 East Grand - Richland Community College........ 63,780 passengers Route#41 was selected for more detailed stud since it obviousl carries si ificantl fewer I� Y Y � Y passengers than the other four routes, and fewer riders would be impacted by changes to this route. As identified above, staff determined that eliminating the buses leaving downtown at :45 past the hour would affect fewer riders than eliminating the buses leaving downtown at :15 past the hour. Finally, DPTS identified an alternative solution before making the final selection. Staff examined the possibility of shortening the length of route#41 so that one bus could operate the route on 30 minute headways. This would provide the necessary cost saving while having the smallest impact on the community. However, since the last stop on this route is the community college, it was decided that shortening the length of route#41 would only be acceptable if service to the community college could be provided by extending another route. Staff looked at various ways to reroute and extend routes#11 and#51 so that either one could provide service to the community college (but not to the industrial area along Brush College Rd). Staff determined that it would not be possible for either of those routes to service Richland Community College because of the time it would add to either route. Based on all of the information gathered by staff, and in order to affect the fewest riders, DPTS decided to propose extending the headway on route#41 from 30 minutes to one hour by eliminating the buses on that route that leave downtown at :45 past the hour. DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES: The following methods were used to disseminate information concerning the proposed service reductions: - 3 -