Improving The Rapid's Service Frequencies, & Coverage.

A Transit Master Plan or TMP is a comprehensive, 20-year plan that will guide the future development of The Rapid transit system. The following is a section pulled from the approved TMP. Download the full Transit Master Plan from The Rapid's TMP website.

Analysis of Current Service

Based on the direction given by The Rapid staff and input from the public, much of the service needs analysis focuses on where to improve service coverage, service frequencies and spans of service for non‐contract service.

Service Coverage Analysis

The service coverage analysis identified areas within The Rapid service area that are underserved during specific time periods. Figures 4‐1 and 4‐2 illustrate the existing transit system service frequency and coverage during the weekday peak and midday service periods. On weekdays, fixed route transit service generally exhibits the same geographical coverage during the daytime hours. However, geographical service coverage changes after 8:30 pm as some routes end service early. Figure 4‐3 illustrates The Rapid’s transit system service frequency and coverage on weekdays after 8:30 pm. Routes 18, 24 and 44 do not currently operate on weekday evenings. This results in loss of service for the area immediately west and northwest of the downtown area (although some of these areas are still within walking distance of existing Routes 7 and 12). Of greater significance is the loss of crosstown service in the southern half of the transit system. The lack of evening service of Routes 24 and 44 results in a significant loss in east‐west mobility, limiting all east‐west travel to Route 28 operating along 28th Street.

Mobility is further impaired during the evening hours as Route 28 only operates at 60 minute service frequencies. The result may be riders traveling significantly out of their way to go north to Rapid Central Station then back south to their ultimate destination.



Weekdays
Route 3 ‐ does not operate evening service after 8 pm
Route 17 ‐ ends evening service early at about 10:25 pm
Route 18 ‐ does not operate evening service after 7:30 pm
Route 24 ‐ does not operate evening service after 7:45 pm
Route 44 ‐ does not operate evening service after 8:15 pm
Route 37 ‐ does not operate evening service after 6:50 pm

Saturday service coverage, shown in Figure 4‐4, is very similar to weekday peak and midday service coverage. Although systemwide coverage is fairly consistent with weekday service, mobility is hindered by less frequent service levels (addressed further in the next section). After 5:00 pm on Saturdays, service coverage is dramatically reduced. Routes 3, 5, 10, 13, 14, 24 and 44 do not operate and all other routes other than Route 1 (30 min) and Route 17 (45 min) operate at 60‐minute service frequencies. As part of the TMP outreach, the public expressed an interest in having service on Saturday night until midnight.

Saturdays
Route 3 ‐ does not operate evening service after 8 pm
Route 5 ‐ does not operate evening service after 6:15 pm
Route 10 ‐ does not operate evening service after 6:36 pm
Route 13 ‐ does not operate evening service after 6:40 pm
Route 14 ‐ does not operate evening service after 6:40 pm
Route 24 ‐ does not operate evening service after 6:50 pm
Route 44 ‐ does not operate evening service after 7:15 pm

Sunday service coverage, shown in Figure 4‐5, is reduced from weekday and Saturday as a result of the following routes not operating on Sundays: Routes 3, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 24 and 44. Because these routes do not operate on Sundays, mobility is constrained with many of the crosstown oriented trips forced to traverse through Rapid Central Station to get to their destinations. The only crosstown service provided on Sundays is Route 28, which provides limited service at 60‐minute service frequencies. As with Saturdays, mobility is limited on Sundays due to less frequent service levels. Additionally, the public also expressed a desire for holiday service, which The Rapid does not currently operate.

See the Full Master Transit Plan