UA students, faculty and other Sun Tran riders may have to adjust their campus travel plans due to changes in Sun Tran routes and schedules that came into effect Sunday.
Kandi Young, director of marketing and communications for Sun Tran, said the changes are to increase the efficiency of the service and provide more transit options for passengers. Tucson’s mayor and council approved recommended changes that were made based on the Bus/Rail Interface Report and the Comprehensive Operation Analysis from 2014.
Young said the Downtown Loop free transit route will discontinue service.
“Sun Tran Route 22 will [have] service stops on Bonita Avenue on weekdays to provide service along that section of the Downtown Loop,” Young said. “The rest of the Downtown Loop route has additional transit service provided by Sun Tran or the [Sun Link Tucson Modern Streetcar].”
In addition, UA students, faculty and staff who ride the Sun Tran will experience a change in the frequency of service for routes three, four, six, nine and 15.
“Frequency was adjusted from 15 minutes to 20 minutes, but all trips travel to PCC East instead of varying trips,” Young said about route three. “This provides more convenience to those traveling to PCC East and will help with overcrowding on select buses due to high school student travel.”
The frequency of service for route four has been adjusted slightly as well. From 6-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m., the bus will arrive every 15 minutes instead of every 10, and during the midday trips, the bus will arrive every 10 minutes instead of every 15, Young said.
“The frequency switched, because ridership numbers indicated more passengers needed route four service during midday hours,” Young said.
Daniel Abert-Cota, an animal sciences junior, said he takes route four to campus every weekday.
“[These changes] will make using the Sun Tran for transportation outside of school or work less efficient or more difficult,” Abert-Cota said.
Young also said route six will no longer serve the Tucson International Airport but that passengers can switch to or continue to use routes 11 or 25 to get to and from the airport.
Route 15 also no longer terminates at the UA, Young said. Instead, the route ends at the Tohono Tadai Transit Center and 22nd Street.
Marilyn Sheck, a seasonal Tucson resident, said she and her husband ride the Sun Tran almost every day. They take route 15 to get to the UA Cancer Center on Campbell Avenue.
“It will be harder for us to get to the cancer center from downtown,” Sheck said. “We’ll probably have to take a route that goes to a point that intersects with the 15 somewhere and transfer to the 15 for the rest of the trip.”
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