Message to the RTA: Here are a few suggestions on encouraging alternative transportation

Recently, Sun Tran got a complete makeover consisting of new buses and repainting old buses to have a uniform look at a cost of $2.9 million, all the while the old buses sit in a storage yard just north of Prince Road near Interstate10. At the same time, ads started appearing on TV for Sun Tran. Both of these activities were done for the purpose of making riding the bus more attractive to commuters who otherwise would travel by car. The problem with this theory is that people already know the Sun Tran exists. These "solutions" do little to resolve the issues preventing people with cars from riding the bus. Telling them the bus is an alternative cheaper method of transportation is not going to get people to give up their car to take the bus. Especially considering the cost savings are not always as great as advertised. Sure, at current bus fares and gas prices, riding the bus may be cheaper than car ownership, but to a person who already owns a car, that is not the case. For a person with a car that gets 25 miles per gallon, they would have to ride the bus at least  9 miles each direction in a single trip before breaking even. If the miles per gallon is greater, they would have to go even further. Considering that, only people who commute the length of the entire city each day or who have to pay for parking would save money by riding the bus. Even then, it may not be the most attractive option, since it may still require driving to the bus stop or walking a large distance each way followed by a slow ride, with the possibility of getting stranded.

Ultimately, the best option for Sun Tran to improve ridership is to improve service. By improve service, I mean improve access to the bus by increasing the number of routes and placing them in areas more accessible to people, increase bus frequency, and increase the hours that the bus travels. All of this would increase ridership more than spending money on advertisements and cosmetic changes, and all of this would be a more effective use of money. Worse yet, the cosmetic changes may be for nothing, as the city is now considering using bus space for advertisements.

As a person with a car, I can think of the following as situations in which I or someone like me might take the bus:
1. Save money by avoiding a situation in which I would have to pay for parking. For example: when going downtown,  to the U of A, to the Airport, or to the rodeo parade. This is only an option sometimes, as many other places that charge for parking aren't even on a bus route.
2. Temporarily cannot drive for some reason. For example: car is in the shop, license gets suspended, eyeglasses broke, or temporary blindness.
3. Complete boredom or to waste time. Its a great way to burn time. For only $1.25 you can get somewhere in twice as long as it would take to drive there. Plus talking to the driver or other passengers on the bus gives you something to do on the ride.
4. Designated driver service. Don't drink and drive. The city bus is a much better option... except that it only operates in the daytime and there is no service after 11:00 pm. But if you drink early, you're in luck!

Keeping this in mind, here are some real suggestions for Sun Tran that would be more effective at increasing ridership that might actually help somebody like me.
1. Dial-A-ride. This is one thing the RTA has realized as a necessary void that needs to be filled. Its a great way to fill in the gaps in areas where running a bus route doesn't make sense. Unfortunately, it is a service that needs expansion, as currently it is only available in Sahuarita and Oro Valley. It should instead be available to the entire region. In addition, dial-a-ride could learn something from the U of A transportation system, specifically Safe Ride. Dial-A-Ride could easily be run as a 24 hour region-wide transportation system consisting of both advance reservation rides and on call rides, similar to a low cost flat rate taxi service that complements the bus system.
2. Simplified bus routes. Here's a radical idea: one street, one bus route, with deviations only to get to transfer centers. See the bus map below to see exactly what the problem is that I am refering to:

Take Valencia for example: To get from one end of Valencia to another, one would have to take up to four different bus routes. This plan may not always be economical, but in many cases it might be. Especially on the south side, where one street can have two or three different bus routes that easily could be consolidated. Sure, there might be a little confusion at first, but in the long run it could be more efficient and effective.

3. Expanded bus routes. The bus system covers most of the city of Tucson, but most tourist attractions are unconnected by a mere two miles. For example, route 37 could easily be extended to the Sebino Canyon Visitor's center and/or Leows Vantana Canyon Resort. Route 7 could be extended west to the Marriott Starr Pass Resort and/or east to the Saguaro National Park Visitors Center. Route 3 or 5 could go to the Wildlife Museum or Gates Pass, and a bus route on Kinney is probably needed. These extensions probably wouldn't cost too much money, as they don't require any current bus routes to change, and could probably be done relatively easily. This would benefit tourists by allowing them to visit Tucson's tourist attractions or hike in the mountains without having to rent a car. In many cities, a bus route that serves tourists can in itself can be an attraction, and can benefit the city at relatively little cost by giving them an additional method to see the city. The RTA is willing to spend $196 million on a streetcar that doesn't go very far, and really will only be used by the downtown and U of A area residents who live along its route; other than them, the only other users will likely be tourists; so why not have a bus route that might actually be useful to bring people from the city to the tourist attractions. It would have to cost much less than $196 million.

4. Regional bus routes. What about Marana? Oro Valley now has Dial-A-Ride, but what about Marana and what about the foothills? Express buses that only come twice a day that often go in the wrong direction helps nobody (or at least very few people). The RTA initiated a bus route into rural Marana (Route 410), but it doesn't go where any of the houses are. It goes right by Gladden Farms, for example, but doesn't stop there. The route it does go, however, is extremely rural. Additionally, route 412 could easily be extended two miles to service the entire Dove Mountian region.

5. Late Night Service. Bus service ends at 11 pm on weekdays, 9 pm on Saturday, and 7 pm on Sunday. But life doesn't stop at those times. As many people work late at night as who work at 5 am, when bus service begins. Additionally, night bus service on weekends would benefit those who drink at night by offering as a designated driver service, and a safe alternative to drunk driving, should they fail to plan ahead on having a designated driver.

6. More frequent service. Financially this may not be effective, but it would benefit everyone not to have to wait as long for the next bus if they missed the last one. Additionally, the bus would reach destinations quicker if each bus didn't have to stop as frequently to pick up/drop off someone.

If you are begging, have some integrity

I can't stand people who will lie to my face just to get money. I walked down Forth Avenue at night one Saturday Evening, I was stopped by a guy who asked for bus fare. This is probably the third time this happened. The first two who asked me for bus fare, I asked where they were going and what bus route they were taking, and they gave me a route that doesn't go there! Since they lied, I decided I'm not going to give them my hard earned money. But this most recent incident was just ridiculous. At one in the morning some street person asked me for bus fare. All he had to do is check their website to not get caught in a lie. Route 8 is the latest running bus route in the city of Tucson, and on Saturday it finishes its route at 9:30 pm.

You expect me to believe that you need bus fare when you missed the last bus by over 4 hours and somehow you didn't know it? Yea, the bus system in this town could definitely be improved, but obviously, you are a liar! How else could you be that clueless about the bus schedules? If you actually rode the bus you would have a rough idea of what the bus schedules were, and what times they run. Worse yet, after I clearly caught him in a lie, he had the audacity to then change his story to say "I need money toward cab fare." I am not going to help someone who lies to me. If you want money, at least have some honesty. Its people like this guy, who probably is begging for money to get alcohol or drugs, who are the reason why we are reluctant to help those on the street who truly need the help.

Whats just as bad is this one guy at Rincon Market. I see him there every time I visit, regardless of the day. He has been there every day at least since January. In the amount of time he spends begging, had he spent it looking for a job, he probably would be employed. For that matter, he doesn't even look all that desperate. I wouldn't be surprised if he worked somewhere like in Oro Valley, and comes out begging after he gets off work. The one time I went to Rincon Market during the week I got there around 4:30 and he wasn't there. When I left around 5, he was setting up. He's there so often now, he doesn't even bother asking the regulars for money. To them, he just waves and says hello. I know its a bad economy, but this guy isn't even trying to help himself. He is making a career out of begging.

Now I don't mind helping people when I can, but if you want my help, you have to at least have some integrity; I want to be able to believe I am actually helping someone who needs it, and not just funding a liar or a career beggar. 

Photo taken from wikipedia