Proposed September 2011 Service Reductions
Preliminary Proposal to the STA Board of Directors
The STA Board of Directors was presented with a preliminary proposal for the September 2011 service reductions at the Board meeting held on September 15, 2010. To view the preliminary proposal, click here. To view a pdf version of the presentation made to the Board by Karl Otterstrom, STA Director of Planning, click here.
Public Input Summaries:
To view the first Public Input Summary Report, click here.
To view the second Public Input Summary Report, click here.
Public Presentations Schedule:
To view a schedule of upcoming public presentations regarding the September 2011 service reductions, click here.
Descriptions by Route:
Click here to view a list of descriptions of the proposed route changes.
Maps:
To view a map of the proposed service reductions click here. NOTE: this is a large (2MB) pdf file.
To view and open pdf files of smaller area maps (North Spokane, South Spokane, Spokane Valley, and West Plains) showing the proposed service reductions, click here.
To view the maps of the three options for proposed changes to service in Cheney, click here.
Hotline:
A hotline is set up for people to call and leave comments/suggestions or request an information packet be sent to them by mail. The hot line number is (509) 343-1653.
Survey:
The public survey regarding the Proposed 2011 Service Reductions was officially closed on December 31, 2010. STA received over 400 surveys.
Background:
For nearly three years, Spokane Transit’s primary source of operating revenue, a locally imposed sales tax, has been in decline, reducing the agency’s ability to maintain its current level of service to the Public Transportation Benefit Area. Although transit ridership has seen strong growth over the last several years, increased revenue from fares alone cannot make up for the budget shortfall caused by the decline in sales tax revenue. Like most of its peer agencies, STA is faced with cutting service as one response toward helping the agency realize fiscal sustainability during these challenging times. For Spokane Transit, this means returning to 2004 service levels and jeopardizing much or all of the 45% ridership increase it enjoyed over the past few years.
As part of its 2010 Budget, the STA Board of Directors identified a service reduction strategy that would allow cuts to take place over several years, helping to ensure reductions are made strategically with allowance for new revenues that could help avoid the full effect of cuts. In total, the cuts required between 2010 and 2012 approximate a 16% reduction in fixed-route operations in order to maintain a sustainable service through 2015. The graph below illustrates the gap between what was once expected and where the system must go in terms of hours of fixed-route service provided.
Paratransit Services:
Paratransit is a wheelchair-accessible shared-ride transportation service for individuals whose disability prevents them from using the regular fixed route buses. This means that a person must be unable, because of a disability, to get to or from the bus stop, get on or off a lift or ramp equipped bus, or successfully travel by bus to or from their destination.
The Paratransit service area is comparable to the area served by the regular, fixed-route bus system. Paratransit is operated in the same service area and the same service hours and conforms to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The service area is a corridor with a width that extends ¾ of a mile on each side of and around each fixed route.
Archive:
To view the original summary of the proposal as presented to the Board on September 15, 2010, click here.
