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BISBEE — With the addition of one new bus to the Bisbee Bus fleet, a new schedule and new routes to accommodate working commuters will go into effect beginning July 30.
According to Melanie Greene, the city’s planning assistant and grants coordinator, the new schedule was designed with commuters in mind and includes two express routes in the morning and late afternoon.
“These routes focus on moving people from residential areas to employment centers and do not make as many stops,” she said. “This will assure that workers can get to work at 7 or 8 a.m. and can get home without enduring a two-hour ride.”
The service began to see a reduction in ridership, and when a survey was taken, people felt the ride was too long and they could not get to work on time riding the bus, Greene said. So, the new routes were created.
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The first commuter route starts at 6 a.m. at the Cochise County Courthouse, as all routes do, and reaches Safeway at 6:43 a.m., the high school at 6:47 a.m. and Copper Queen Community Hospital at 6:52 a.m. It’s back at the courthouse by 7:01 a.m. and the second commuter route, which has 26 stops, begins. That route takes about 50 minutes to complete.
In the afternoon, the first commuter route begins at 5:03 p.m. and takes about an hour and 10 minutes to complete. The second route begins at 6:13 p.m. and has fewer stops.
The commuter routes run Monday through Friday.
The non-commuter schedule starts its 39-stop route at 7:50 a.m. and averages under one and a half hours to complete a cycle. On Saturday, the buses run from 9:22 a.m. to 3:08 p.m.
Service to Naco will have only two stops — one at Turquoise Valley Golf Course and the other at the intersection of Tower Avenue and Martinez Street. Since there was low ridership to the two other previous stops, they were eliminated from the routes.
Greene recommends that riders familiarize themselves with the new routes and schedules by reviewing the brochures available at city hall, the Visitor Center, Catholic Community Services or the library.
Fares will not change and will remain at $1 for adults and 25 cents for students. Monthly passes can be purchased for $25 per adult and $20 per student. A monthly pass for the elderly and disabled is only 75 cents. There is a 50-cent charge for handicap pick-up. The lowered rate for the elderly is offset by funds from the Area Agencies on Aging administered by the SouthEastern Arizona Governments Organization.
The new Bisbee Bus is equipped with the latest safety and comfort features, Greene said.
“It also includes a lift for people in wheelchairs or for those who need assistance in boarding the bus,” she said. “If someone is unable to get to a bus stop, we can pick them up, but the request must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. We can go three-tenths of a mile off of the route and we do have a number of riders who need this service. Unfortunately, the narrow, steep streets in Old Bisbee limit that type of service.”
Not too far in the future, those waiting for buses will have protection from sun and inclement weather. Shelters are to be set up at Safeway in San Jose, Copper Queen Plaza in Old Bisbee and the Copper Queen Hospital and Department of Economic Security in Warren. The shelters were purchased with grant funds and will be assembled by the city’s public works department.
Greene pointed out that 30,338 riders use the service annually.
Catholic Community Services, which provides the day-to-day operations of Bisbee Bus service, will be conducting a survey of riders to determine the effectiveness of route changes. Riders can call Catholic Community Services for information on routes, passes and discount fares at 432-2285, 364-4474 or TDD at (800) 352-8161.
With approval of the Bisbee City Council, the Bisbee Bus Program will make advertising space available on transit bus windows.
The ads are made of vinyl that allow passengers to see out of the windows.
Applications for advertising are now available online at www.cityofbisbee.com under the “Document Center” icon or at the city clerk’s office in Warren on Arizona Street.
Ad design concepts must be presented with the application.
Rates are $25 to $60 per month, with a three-month minimum. Advertisers must purchase their own vinyl ads according to the specifications listed in the agreement. Local sign makers can assist advertisers.
Questions regarding the program can be directed to Melanie Greene at 432-6016, or send e-mail to mgreene@cityofbisbee.com.
Herald/Review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692 or by e-mail at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
I wrote on Jul 19, 2007 12:18 PM: