TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Frank Litzenberger waited in the triple digit heat on a bench at Pima Community College’s west campus. Waiting for the bus is a routine he does six times a week.
“It helps me out, gets me from point A to point B, helps the environment out and I don’t have a license so…” Litzenberger said.
Using the bus is a way for him to save money, but his bus route, bus route 5, could be eliminated soon.
The City of Tucson said in total, on average, they have 854 boardings during the week.
They’re considering making changes to bus routes and are asking for public input. They already asked for input from residents and got around 500 responses during their first round, which led them to make the proposed changes.
Now in their second round of the survey that residents can take until September 8, the City’s Department of Transportation and Mobility said they have gotten about 2,000 responses.
The City will be using those responses and presenting a draft to Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and the City Council. The mayor and City Council will then decide which changes to make.
However, for people like Litzenberger, it could mean taking a different bus route.
“I really do need this bus to and from here or else I wouldn’t be able to get to my job,” he said.
Instead the City said the college’s west campus would change over to routes 8, 22, new route 39, and maybe a realigned route 21.
Some riders like Allison Ford who uses the bus a couple of days a week said those changes wouldn’t affect her much.
“Schedules are posted. You can go on the website, plan your own route. It gives you a time of when they’re going to be there and that remains fairly accurate,” she said.
On Tuesday night the City hosted a in-person meeting where they explained some of the changes that would potentially impact bus routes. They explained there could be changes to route three and the route from 22nd Street to Broadway.
However, some people who went to the meeting like Christopher Osen said the City should do more outreach to people who don’t attend those types of meetings.
“Signs is not necessarily the best form of outreach and to really have boots on the ground,” Osen said, referring to the signs the City put up at several bus stops.
The City has hosted many in person events the past few weeks, asking for public input on the proposed changes.
However, riders like Litzenberger are just hoping there aren’t a lot of changes.
“I would like it more frequent if at all possible but more so I’d like to keep the routes the same if possible,” he said.
