More people than ever are riding public buses in and out of the Northwest Side, and area residents cite Interstate 10 construction as one of the reasons.
Bus riders made 2.6 million boardings in the fiscal year that ended June 30 on eight bus routes serving the Northwest Side, where Sun Tran in May added an express bus from Marana to Downtown.
Four years ago, Sun Tran recorded about 2.1 million boardings.
"We have seen a steady increase in ridership in the area," said Sun Tran spokeswoman Kandi Young. With the exception of one route, all experienced an increase in passengers, she added.
Although Young attributed the growth in the number of bus riders to various factors, she said the I-10 widening project — which closed several exits in June — hastened service expansion on the Northwest Side to relieve traffic congestion.
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The Arizona Department of Transportation funded the Marana Express route, which Sun Tran had intended to launch in another two years, Young said.
The route is part of the Regional Transportation Plan, a voter-approved measure to expand transit service, widen local roadways and add bike and bus lanes. Voters approved a half-cent sales tax to pay for projects.
"It's been well-received," Young said of the newest route.
As the Northwest Side continues to expand, so will bus service, she noted.
"Gas is just so expensive"
In interviews, several area residents said the planned three-year I-10 project had pushed them onto the bus. Some said public transportation is their only choice, while others said they ride the bus to save on gas money, do their part to conserve energy and avoid rush-hour traffic hassles in general.
"Gas is just so expensive," said Rosella Schmidt, 34. "Plus, the freeway is too messed up right now. I'd rather not deal with it."
The home health aide said that lately she has taken to leaving her 2007 Ford Mustang at home and boarding a Sun Tran bus from West Ina Road to Downtown, where Schmidt said she likes spending time off work.
"It's a lot cheaper to ride the bus than to drive your car," said
Over the two decades that Bruce Russell has used public transportation, the University of Arizona employee said he has noticed more people joining him at a bus stop near West Ina and North Thornydale roads.
"Sometimes it's been standing-room only on the bus," he said.
Russell, 51, said buses run more frequently than they did years ago, which makes it convenient. Each morning, he drives about a mile to a bus stop, leaves his car at a Park and Ride lot, and boards an express bus to work.
Freeway construction has lengthened his commute to about 45 minutes, he said, but his mystery books help pass the time.
"It saves gas and I get a lot of reading done," said Russell, who manages a network of weather stations at the UA. Riding the bus also saves energy, he noted.
Russell pays less than $200 through the university for a discount bus pass, he said.
"I'm saving a lot of wear-and-tear on the car and headaches because of the driving and the parking situation at the university," he said.
Often no shade at bus stops
Annette Henderson said the Downtown law firm where she works as a records assistant gives her a free bus pass.
"Why would I drive, pay for parking, gas and put up with having to drive through the I-10 construction?" Henderson said after getting off a bus on West Ina Road. Her boyfriend, Eric Seger, picked her up at a Park and Ride lot.
Heather Cordova , 28, said she relies on public buses because her car broke down in May.
"It's harder to get around on this side of town," she said recently while waiting for a bus to take her home from work. "I do wish buses ran more frequently."
But the Web editor, who lives and works in the area, said riding the bus beats dealing with an overheated car engine in the summer. One pet peeve: "There's no shade at a lot of the bus stops; it's kind of annoying."
For Laura MacCready, 28, bus riding is a necessity because the young mother said she cannot afford a car.
"I take the bus to work, to my daughter's doctor appointment, to get her prescriptions, to her day care," the Northwest Side resident said while her daughter, Kathleen, 2, relaxed in a nearby stroller.
Occasionally buses run late, which is inconvenient, MacCready said. But overall, she said service "is pretty good."
Jason Succetti , 37, said he doesn't own a car because he prefers to ride the bus. He lives near North Oracle and West Prince roads and works at West Ina and North Thornydale roads.
"I pay $28 a month for a bus pass and I get home in 40 to 45 minutes," he said.
By the numbers
Public transportation in the nation
In 2006, Americans took
10.1 billion
trips on public transportation, the highest ridership level in 49 years.
...
From 1995 through 2006, public transportation ridership increased by
30%
...
Each year public-transportation households save gas worth more than
$1,399
...
Each year, public transportation saves
1.4 billion
gallons of gas, representing about 4 million gallons daily.
...
Each person traveling during peak hours spends, on average,
62
hours a year in congestion.
Public transportation in Pima County and on the Northwest Side:
Sun Tran buses made
17.9 million
passenger trips between July 1, 2006, and June 30.
...
Eight Northwest Side bus routes made a combined
2.6 million
passenger boardings last year.
...
Sun Tran operates
38
fixed routes with
199
buses in the city of Tucson and parts of the county.
Did you know ...
Sun Tran averted a potential third strike in late August, when Teamsters Local 104 agreed to a contract. Sun Tran workers went on strike in 1997 and in 2001.
Source: American Public Transportation Association, Sun Tran.
