Over the summer break, the Lane Transit District underwent major routing and time schedule changes in order to keep up with Eugene’s expanding population, increasing traffic congestion and changing needs.
Andy Vobora, the LTD service planning and marketing manager, said that every eight to 10 years, the entire system is examined and redesigned.
He said more than 80 percent of all routes have been changed and suggested people pick up an LTD “Rider’s Digest” bus schedule at any bus station or on any bus to acquaint themselves with the changes.
“One of the most exciting new features of the bus system will be the new hybrid-electric buses, the Breeze,” Vobora said. The Breeze will connect the University, Sacred Heart Medical Center, Amtrak train station, Fifth Street Market and Valley River Center, five of the service’s most frequented destinations.
Vobora said the five Breeze buses were designed with a new look to emphasize the unique service they provide and make them easily recognizable. Each bus is coated with a special paint that will make painted figures on them appear to move as the bus travels. Also, because they are hybrid-electric shuttles, they are smaller and quieter than other buses, Vobora said.
Vobora also said the Breeze shuttles are much better for the environment, with emissions that are 88 percent to 96 percent cleaner than Environmental Protection Agency 2003 standards.
To make the Breeze convenient to use, Vobora said buses will run every 10 minutes from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and every twenty minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. On Saturdays, the shuttle will run every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Fares are 25 cents per ride, but are free to students when they present a student ID card.
“I think the Breeze shuttles sound really great,” University student Jessica Vogt said. “They sound really convenient, and since they are better for the environment, I think they will be really popular in Eugene.”
During the past two years, LTD held numerous public meetings and conducted public opinion surveys to create changes that were suitable and convenient for most people, Vobora said. Due to low ridership, service to a few neighborhoods will no longer be available. And while this may inconvenience a few people, Vobora said it is necessary to make changes because of limited resources.
In the campus area, Vobora said routes 2, 60 and 62 servicing Country Club Road were replaced by the Breeze. Route 76 was renumbered to 77 and will now turn at Garfield Street instead of Seneca Street, but will run to Westmoreland Student Family Housing. The route from Fox Hollow to the University was renumbered from 23 to 73. Routes 34, 35 and 37 were terminated but replaced by various other services. Route 82 is a new service connecting the Eugene Station and Lane Community College. Also, route 81, service to LCC, no longer travels to Patterson Street, but instead begins and ends at the University.
Vobora added that new routes were developed to provide buses to areas that did not have any transit service in the past to encourage more people to use the bus system.
A slight fare increase to $1.25 for a single-ride pass will come into effect. However, fares for group passes, monthly passes, and employee and student passes will remain the same.
Another resident, Jessica Lipp, agreed that LTD provides excellent services. However, she also said a few other improvements should be made, including more evening and weekend service.
“They really need more buses at night,” she said. “It would make it so much easier for people working late or kids out partying to be able to get home. It would also be nice to have more weekend buses.”
Vobora said that while LTD did not increase evening service because of low demand, the increased Saturday services will benefit weekend travelers.
He said the improvements are increasingly important as Eugene’s traffic congestion and population grow, and people should take advantage of these improvements and use the bus system whenever possible. For questions, visit the Lane Transit Web site at www.ltd.org.