September 2010 Service Reductions Preliminary Proposal
The information below represents the original preliminary proposal presented to the STA Board of Directors in February 2010. This information remains accessible for reference only. Since that time, STA has developed a Draft Recommendation that is different from the information below and has presented the recommendation to the STA Board of Directors. To find out more about the Draft Recommendation, click here.
For nearly two 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.
Beginning Fall 2009, the Spokane Transit Planning Department analyzed routes, trips and schedules that could be discontinued, reduced or modified. The Fixed-Route Service Design Guidelines adopted by the Board in December 2009 acted as a handbook for this analysis (this document can be viewed here). There were three primary considerations for this analysis effort:
- Are the potential reductions consistent with the Service Design Guidelines?
- Are the potential reductions feasible to implement by September 2010?
- Are there other feasible service restructures or modifications that could be made within the timeline that could result in both cost savings and ridership gains?
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.
Decision-Making Process
STA has been seeking input from the public on the preliminary proposal. Input was gathered through the online survey and targeted meetings with affected neighborhoods and institutions. Staff will consider input in preparing a draft recommendation for the STA Board that will be available to the public no later than April 22, 2010. A public hearing will be held May 19, 2010, with board action on a final recommendation from staff expected no later than the June 16, 2010, STA Board meeting. Please take time to review the information below to understand how the preliminary proposal may affect the routes you use.
Summary of Proposed Changes
CLARIFYING NOTE: The proposal would increase the hours of service of Route 66 on weekdays to run from about 5:30 am to 11:00 pm. Hours of service on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays will be generally consistent with the current service hours of the Route 65.
Route Eliminations
Maps
To view a map of the Route 35 changes, click here.
To view a map of the Route 47 changes, click here.
Trip and Frequency Reduction
Maps
To view a map of the Route 20/33 changes, click here.
To view a map of the Route 23 changes, click here.
Maps
To view a map of the Route 27 changes, click here.
To view a map of the Route 44 changes, click here.
Map
To view a map of the Route 44 and 33 changes, click here.
Trip and Frequency Restructures
Maps
To view a map of the Route 2 changes, click here.
To view a map of the Route 29 and 31 changes, click here.
CLARIFYING NOTE: The proposal would increase the hours of service of Route 66 on weekdays to run from about 5:30 am to 11:00 pm. Hours of service on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays will be generally consistent with the current service hours of the Route 65.
Map
To view a map of the Route 65 and 66 changes, click here.
Map
To view a map of the Route 91 changes, click here.
To view a copy of the Service Change Proposal presentation given to the STA Board of Directors, click here.
To view the complete Preliminary Proposal as presented to the STA Board of Directors, click here.
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