After months of research, discussions and presentations, KFH Group Vice President Ken Hosen went before the North Central Regional Transit District Board of Directors and delivered his suggestions to improve the District’s routes and services.
The hired consultant said the focus of his proposals wasn’t on expanding current coverage, but making routes more efficient and increasing connectivity to other transit services like the Park and Ride.
“The RTD is the glue that holds all the region’s transportation districts together,” Hosen said.
None escaped unscathed, as Hosen proposed changes to all local routes, which ranged from minor tweaks to larger modifications.
Hosen’s report stated the District would save $64,900 annually if it implemented all the suggested route changes.
Hosen said the figure did not include any added cost from capital acquisition or adopting the entirely new routes he proposed.
Hosen also presented other changes he thought could improve the District’s infrastructure:
• Free door-to-door bus service for many non-disabled Españolans could soon be a thing of the past.
Hosen said every Española resident living within three-quarters of a mile from a route had previously been able to benefit from the “flex route” because federal law mandated flex routes remain open to anyone unless there is a “fair differential.”
Hosen said the District’s fair differential should come in the form of a $5-$10 fare for door-to-door service for all non-disabled riders.
He said the flex route should also be expanded
• One of the loudest demands from Blue Bus riders in recent years is the desire for weekend service.
• No easy solution presented itself for the current hub of District activity — the Park and Ride lot.
While the convergence of District vehicles, Park and Ride buses and civilian cars can bottleneck traffic in the parking lot, Hosen’s suggestion of turning the Jim West Center into the central District bus stop presents its own set of problems.
• One of the final suggestions Hosen made in his presentation was the need to change the route names to route numbers.
For example, instead of having the Riverside route and the West side route, all Española routes could have a number in the range of 10 to 19.
After Hosen’s presentation reached its final slide, North Central Regional Transit District Executive Director Anthony Mortillaro said the decision now falls on the Board to figure out which changes to adopt or reject before they take a vote at the next Board meeting.
“We’ll do our best to read the crystal ball and bring forth recommendations that are acceptable to the Board,” Mortillaro said.
Listed below are the routes in Española and Rio Arriba County and the modifications Hosen and KFH suggested the District make to them.
Route: Riverside
Problem: The southern-most portion of the route is rarely used
Plan A: Limit trips to the southern portion of the route to three times a day, with other trips looping back to the Park and Ride lot after the Lovin’ Oven stop
Financial Impact: None
Route: West side Española
Problem: KFH has called the route “confusing,” “muddled,” “inefficient” and “meandering”
Plan A: Cut out the “meandering” parts of the route, keeping most of the stops, while reducing loop times
Plan B: Replace one of the current loops with a “crosstown” loop that covers west side stops, before crossing Riverside and covering new stops on North McCurdy Road
Plan C: Create an entirely new route that exclusively covers Española’s east side
Financial Impact: Alternative C would have an annual added cost of $228,000
Route: Española-Los Alamos-Pojoaque
Problem: The route travels several times between Española and Los Alamos before changing direction completely and traveling several times between Los Alamos and Pojoaque
Plan A: One round trip from Española to Los Alamos and one round trip from Pojoaque to Los Alamos back-to-back
Plan B: Two round trips to Los Alamos from both destinations
Financial Impact: Alternative A would have an annual cost savings of $19,000; Alternative B would have an annual added cost of $37,500
Route: Española to Santa Fe
Problem: Duplicates parts of Santa Clara and Tesuque routes
Plan A: After the Santa Clara route reaches Española during its morning trip, change it to the Española to Santa Fe route
Plan B: The Tesuque route could provide two round trips to Santa Fe/Española and the bus can spend the rest of the day providing local service in the pueblo
Financial Impact: None
Route: Española to Chimayó
Problem: The route stops short of the Española Park and Ride lot and all major transfers. It duplicates the morning run for the Chimayó to Las Trampas route
Plan A: Add five minutes each way, so the route can support the Park and Ride lot and start the route 30 minutes earlier to accommodate commuters
Plan B: Combine the midday Española to Chimayó and Chimayó to Las Trampas trips
Financial Impact: None
Route: Española to El Rito/Ojo Caliente
Problem: The loop is too long
Plan A: Change it from a loop to a linear, 1-hour route with three inbound and outbound trips daily
Financial Impact: Alternative A would have an annual cost savings of $19,000 to $47,500
Route: Taos to Española
Problem: There is no midday option for non-commuters and the route needs more stops, primarily between Española and Velarde
Plan A: Add a midday option at noon
Plan B: Increase service by five hours
Plan C: Add a total of 11 stops, including stops at Los Luceros, La Junta and the Dixon Co-op
Financial Impact: Alternative B would have an annual added cost of $95,000
Route: Chama to Española
Problem: Odd travel times don’t allow riders to stay in Española for long
Plan A: Start the first trip earlier and move the final return trip back to give Española riders more time in the city
Plan B: Expand route service to five days a week
Financial Impact: Alternative B would have an annual added cost of $63,200