San Diego – Getting people to their destinations faster and with less waiting time is the goal behind the Metropolitan Transit System’s (MTS) expanded high-frequency bus network, which launches on Sunday, January 28. It’s all part of the agency’s Transit Optimization Plan (TOP), which will include more than 30 routes with a frequency of 15 minutes or better when the plan is fully implemented. MTS is allocating an additional $2 million to fund these new services.
“We know that frequency and speed of service are the keys for our current riders and attracting new riders,” said Paul Jablonski, MTS chief executive officer. “We are investing into our system to make it as convenient and efficient as possible. Hundreds of thousands of people already choose transit every day. We’re working hard to make our system an even more attractive choice for people all over the San Diego region.”
The public can view all changes online at sdmts.com/TOP. Along with the Jan. 28 changes, MTS will make more changes in June. In total, more than 60 routes will be changed to better meet market demands. Key changes to some of the busiest routes in the MTS bus system include:
Route 3 (Hillcrest, Mission Hills, Balboa Park, Cortez Hill, Gaslamp Quarter, Lincoln Park): Weekday frequency increased from 15 to 12 minutes, and Sunday frequency increased from 60 to 30 minutes
Route 5 (Downtown, Sherman Heights, Stockton, Mt. Hope, Chollas View, Euclid): Weekday frequency increased from 15 to 12 minutes
Route 11 (Skyline Hills, Valencia Park, Southcrest, Logan Heights, Downtown, Hillcrest, University Heights, Normal Heights, SDSU): Split into two routes to improve reliability and on-time performance
Rapid 235 (Downtown San Diego, Kearny Mesa, Miramar, Rancho Bernardo, Escondido): Weekday midday service increased to a 15-minute frequency
Route 906/907 (San Ysidro, Otay Mesa West): Saturday service and Sunday afternoon service increased to a 15-minute frequency
Route 950 (Otay Mesa Border-Iris Avenue Station) Weekday service to Iris Avenue Transit Center increased to 10-minute frequency during morning peak hours and service span extended into late evening
Route 955 (SDSU, Talmadge, Oak Park, Southcrest, National City): Weekday service increased from 15 to 12 minute frequency
TOP Background
TOP is an update of the 2004-2006 Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) that resulted in major changes to the system’s bus and Trolley services. In the 10 years since COA implementation, MTS experienced increased ridership, fare revenue and operational efficiencies for nine years straight. However, after record-breaking ridership in FY2015, ridership dipped in FY2016, and again in FY2017, which follows a national trend in declining public transportation use. TOP is designed to reverse that trend by attracting riders.
“Getting people out of cars and into alternative modes of transportation is absolutely critical in order for this region to achieve its Climate Action goals,” Jablonski said. “MTS wants to do everything it can to enhance its services to make it as easy as possible for people to use transit. TOP is just one of the many ways we are working to make transit a viable option for many more people.”
MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services in 10 cities and the county. In FY 2017, MTS served more than 88 million riders. For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.
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