2023 Network Redesign: Staff Page

VRT staff has finalized the proposed 2023 bus network redesign after receiving significant community feedback in April and May (see “How We Got Here” below). While public and stakeholder support for a higher-frequency network is strong, we hope to strike a balance between frequency and coverage with the final proposal. Riders can expect routes to be modified or improved without significantly reduced service hours across the system.

Network redesign resources

FY2024 Service Change Final Network Proposal Board Memo Route descriptions Interactive map

Updated timeline

• August 7: VRT Board of Directors introduces the final network proposal to the public; public comment period begins, lasting until Friday, September 15
• August 31: Nampa Public Hearing, Nampa City Council Chambers (Open house at 5 p.m., hearing at 6 p.m.)
• September 7: Boise Public Hearing, Boise City Council Chambers (Open house at 5 p.m., hearing at 6 p.m.)
• September 12: Meridian Public Hearing, VRT Offices (Open house at 5 p.m., hearing at 6 p.m.)
• September 14: Caldwell Public Hearing, Caldwell CPD Community Room (Open house at 5 p.m., hearing at 6 p.m.)
• October 2: The VRT Executive Board and Board of Directors meet to review proposed changes and public comments – and consider the final proposal

VRT plans to implement service changes by summer 2024.

How we got here

Each year, VRT plans for transit services that align with available funding from cities, counties, and universities in the region. The agency has been working closely with funding partners, including the cities of Boise, Caldwell, Meridian, and Nampa, and anticipates enough support to proceed with service improvements without reducing the total number of service hours.

We received significant public feedback on the Better Bus concept in April and May this year, and are using this input alongside ridership data to guide decisions as we develop the final network redesign proposal.

SURVEY DATA

During the May comment period, VRT received more than 380 survey responses and 570 individual comments on existing or proposed routes. View the survey summary here.

RIDERSHIP DATA

We used a variety of metrics to compare routes and prepare service concepts presented in May, including:

• Ridership: using the ridership metric of “boardings per hour by route,” we reviewed routes that were in the bottom 25% for ridership for change or reinvestment.
• Proximity to bus stops: we examined the number of people and jobs that are within 1/4 mile of a bus stop to measure coverage, or the number of individuals that are likely to choose to take transit because it is close to them.
• Proximity to higher-frequency routes: we evaluated each service concept by the number of people within 1/4 mile of a bus stop with 15-minute service or better during peak periods and 30-minute service or better throughout the day. This measures the number of people who are more likely to choose to take transit because transit is both close and convenient for their travel needs.
• Service frequency: we evaluated the percentage of service hours dedicated to routes with service every 30 minutes or better throughout the day to determine how much of the system is dedicated to higher-frequency routes.
• Potential systemwide ridership: based on existing route performance, we compared the proposed concepts to one another on potential systemwide ridership. The table below compares the various concepts based on these measures, illustrating the potential impact on ridership when trading coverage for frequency.