Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Public Transit

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Robert A. Nugent, Public Transit Administrator
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
Date:	September 16, 2010
RE:	Service Change – Route 6

On August 2, 2010 the Public Transit Department implemented a major change in route alignments and service. These changes, for the most part, have been successful operationally. We have, however been experiencing issues with the restructured route #6.

Historically route #6 operated bi-directionally, that means that part of the route operated in a clockwise loop and the other in a counter-clockwise loop. In redesigning the route we sought to create a more direct service from the west side of the community to downtown. A secondary consideration was to improve transfers for those traveling beyond the downtown to other places in the community.

The new route alignment separated the two corridors that route #6 historically served. One route (#10) was created to serve those traveling in the Bob Billings corridor and route #6 was realigned to serve only the 6^th Street corridor.  Route #6 also was designed to provide service to the Merc by operating in a loop on Iowa, 9^th Street and Rockledge.

Since our implementation of the new route alignments in August we have been monitoring the service for any issues that may have resulted from the change. In doing so we recognized that route #6 was continually having problems staying on schedule during the afternoon hours. This appears to be the result of increase ridership activity and compounded by congestion.

In response, we spent a considerable amount of time working with drivers and manipulating the operational aspects of the route only to come to the realization that the “running time” issues could not be addressed in this manner. We then considered adding an additional bus to the route during problematic times. This approach would have added considerable cost to the operations and would not have guaranteed transfers during key times of the day. This left us with the only long term fix to the issue – changing the routing. Therefore, on September 27, 2010 we will be discontinuing the “Merc Loop” (Rockledge between 6^th Street and 9^th Street, 9^th Street between Rockledge and Iowa, and Iowa between 9^th Street and 6^th Street) of route #6. This area will still be served by Route 10 and Route 28. For those still wanting to use Route 6, bus stops will be installed in both directions at 6th and Rockledge.

We will seek to inform the public through news release, postings on our website, posters on our buses, and through face to face meetings on our buses.