“One of the main intentions of this route was to be very frequent and our frequency levels were around 15 minutes, which was a lot higher or less frequent than we were hoping for with the current service.”
Max Gilles is Mobile GR’s Strategic Initiatives Manager for the city of Grand Rapids. He says the new one-year DASH pilot route launching Monday, May 4th, will now have buses arriving every eight minutes.
“The Rapid did a cost recovery analysis and projected that it would be about a 28% increase in the operating costs heading into our next fiscal year.”
The reimagined route covers a smaller, more targeted footprint than its predecessor, helping the city avoid an additional $7.1 million in projected capital and operating costs through 2031 while aiming for an annual operating cost of $2 million. Buses will now run nearly twice as often, seven days a week, with shorter trip times and a simplified one-directional loop.
“It’s fiscally sustainable now going forward, which is really important, of course, but also we hope it achieves the initial goals of the service, which is frequent, convenient way to get around the core of downtown.”
The pilot route still requires final approval from city commissioners. Mobile GR will gather public feedback throughout the year to determine next steps.
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