Route Repair Sta Proposing Changes To Address Complaints

Almost every weeknight since September, Hugh Thompson has hoofed it two miles to catch a bus home from work in Greenacres.

Until the Spokane Transit Authority changed its schedules and routes last year, Thompson could catch the bus right outside the liquor store where he works after closing up at 9 p.m.

“I can do the walk. I’m only 53,” said Thompson, who has worked at the store at Appleway and Corbin Road for almost seven years and depends solely on the bus for transportation between his downtown home and his job.

“I’m really concerned about others. You’ve got older people and younger people who might want to go out at night and visit friends.”

Ever since it instituted the route and schedcule changes — the most sweeping in 20 years — STA has heard a chorus of complaints from bus riders like Thompson, whose transit needs involve off-hours trips to or from less-populated parts of the county.

Now, because of riders’ concerns with missed connections or lack of service in semi-rural areas, STA officials say they’re ready to retool some Valley routes.

The STA board will meet later this month to consider changes to some particularly troublesome routes.

Those changes range from adding evening service in Greenacres and Otis Orchards to timing connections so riders aren’t stuck waiting 30 minutes for their next bus.

In the Valley, ridership has decreased 10 percent on all weekday bus routes since last September’s route overhaul, according to STA figures. Weekend ridership in the Valley has decreased 22 percent.

Throughout the STA system, bus ridership is down less than 1 percent since the changes went into effect.

STA officials expected a bigger drop in ridership after adopting the changes, based on a Portland consultant’s plan to route buses along arterials and improve service to more populated areas, while decreasing service to rural and semi-rural areas.

For every rider disappointed by last fall’s changes, there’s one who is pleased with more frequent service.

Pat Bertsch, who commutes to work in Greenacres from her home on the North Side via STA bus, said she loves the changes.

Her bus — the No. 90 East Sprague — travels more frequently. If she misses one bus, she doesn’t mind. “There’s always another in 15 minutes,” she said. “It’s a great, great service.”

In fact, STA numbers show that the most popular routes systemwide are those, like East Sprague, that have 15-minute service, said STA executive director Allen Schweim.

People were telling STA they wanted 15-minute service, he said. Once they got it, they supported it.

“People jumped on it, literally,” he said.

STA officials say they are now trying to answer concerns like those of Patricia Elser, who lives at 16th Avenue and Evergreen Road in the Valley.

Elser used to take the No. 97 bus to the Valley Transit Center behind University City Shopping Center and connect to a bus heading downtown.

But missed connections, caused by late buses, forced her to drive to the transit center so she could make her connection on time.

“I drive to the transit center under protest,” she said. “It seems like the whole point of the 97 is to connect to U-City.”

Some riders may be complaining about their specific route or their own situation, but STA officials say the proposed changes are answers to larger problems.

“It’s impossible to do all things,” Schweim said. “What we have to concentrate on are major themes.”

In the Valley, which is a mix of urban development and rural and semi-rural settlements, trying to answer all people’s needs is a delicate balancing act.

STA isn’t rushing to reinstate service to neighborhoods getting “flex” service. As part of a flex route, buses will veer down residential streets if people call two hours in advance.

Officials say they’re watching ridership trends closely before deciding on permanent route changes.

STA wants to add more frequent weekend service on highly used routes such as the East Sprague, so shoppers can get to and from their errands.

They also want to make sure people north of Millwood have service and buses avoid chronic delays at railroad crossings.

“There are a lot of factors,” Schweim said.

The proposed changes will go before the STA board of directors later in May. If approved, they would go into effect this fall.

“We want to be careful of making too many changes too fast,” STA’s Schweim said. “We’re still in a very early stage in this.”

This sidebar appeared with the story: PUBLIC HEARING The STA board will hold a public hearing on proposed bus route changes at 3:30 p.m. May 26 in the Champions Room at the Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon.