An Orbit shuttle bus stops near lot 59 on the Tempe campus. New Orbit buses that feature a unique design will be implemented before the fall semester starts, according to campus officials. (Photo by Dominic Valente.)With the population of the Tempe campus growing at a seemingly astronomical rate, the city of Tempe is trying to keep up with public transportation demand by expanding the horizons of its Orbit buses.
The prototype New Flyer MiDi buses, which are five feet longer and can fit about 30 more passengers than the current Orbit buses, will be tested as a possible new option and placed in-service on the Orbit system during the week of Aug. 5, city of Tempe spokeswoman Sue Taaffe said. Taaffe said testing the new buses comes as a response to a public demand for buses that are larger.
She said there are times, especially at the beginning of the school year, when the buses have to pass up people because they are full.
"We have been hearing from our passengers that the buses aren't big enough ever since we launched the orbit routes," she said. "It's a great problem for us to have but we are trying to remedy that problem."
She said if this particular prototype is not successful in its trial run, the city of Tempe will continue to explore other options that work in this climate, allow more passengers and are quiet enough for residents in the neighborhoods through which the buses travel.
"There is also a technical side, how do these buses hold up in our heat," she said. "If the public loves them but they break down in the heat, we won't move forward with them."
City of Tempe Deputy Public Works Director Greg Jordan said testing the MiDi buses on the Orbit routes is perfect for both the parent company New Flyer, which is looking to test mid-size buses at high-density urban sites, and for the city of Tempe, which is looking to expand its passenger capabilities.
"Our site is good for testing because of the particular realities that go along with operating in tight quarters, neighborhood streets and downtown environments with high passenger volume," he said.
Jordan said one of the key issues moving forward will be whether or not the buses are accepted by the both the riders and the residents who have to "experience the positives and negatives of having bus services in their neighborhoods."
He said the new vehicles will not create any more traffic than those currently in use, but there could be other issues of concern for residents in neighborhoods that the Orbit routes go through.
"Anytime you change the aesthetic of the vehicle and the size, you want to make sure the residents have a good opportunity to experience the vehicle and provide us feedback," he said. "Noise will be a big factor."
There will be a public meeting in September following the test phase where riders and residents can voice their opinions and concerns, and there will also be an online survey for riders and residents who cannot attend the meeting in person, Jordan said.
He said the ridership does "warrant and merit a larger vehicle," which, over time, is a more financially feasible option than increasing the frequency of current buses. He said ultimately the decision will come down to community feedback.
"Understanding what the riders think and what the residents think from each of their perspectives is a major dimension of our decision making in the next few years," he said.
After the community meeting in September, the Transportation Department will make a recommendation to the City Council sometime in the Fall, Jordan said.
The City Council will then make a decision on whether or not to move forward with cycling in the larger buses, but that would not be until around 2017 or 2018 because the current fleet of orbit buses has about five years left on its life cycle, Jordan said.
"These procurements take a long time from initial conception to delivery of the vehicle," he said. "So really you have to start this far out in advance to get your ducks in a row."
Mechanical engineering master's student Vaibhav Gupta said he rides the Orbit frequently from his Tempe home to campus and to Tempe Marketplace.
Gupta, who has had to wait at his stop due to full buses on several occasions, said a larger Orbit bus is much needed.
"It is very time consuming when you are waiting for a bus and it is too full to take you," he said. "As a student, time is very important so missing a bus and having to wait longer is always an issue." Reach the reporter at npmendo@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @NPMendoza
