Phoenix investing in new buses to improve rider experience, safety

PHOENIX — Residents will soon see many new improvements around the Valley.

The city of Phoenix is investing millions in dozens of new buses as part of its Capital Improvement Program to provide safe and reliable public transit services to the community.

Deputy Public Transit Director Albert Crespo said the buses will be equipped with the latest technology, which will improve riders’ experience and safety.

“It does make a difference,” Crespo said. “Police investigations, things of that matter, when the video is in full color, full audio (and) high resolution.”

In addition to the new buses, the city will also introduce a new service — Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT — to the Valley.

“This’ll be like when the Valley introduced the light rail as a new service,” Crespo said. “Nobody’s had this type of bus service before.”

The BRT is in its early stages of planning, he added. Officials are set to begin reaching out to stakeholders within the next few months.

Deputy Public Transit Director Ken Kessler said Phoenix has already made other improvements to its transportation systems.

“A major improvement we’ve made so far is extending the late night hours and the early morning hours,” Kessler said.

“The bus service wasn’t running (three years ago) so now they have that ability to use that service.”

Kessler said that, as a result of those improvements, Phoenix has seen an increase in ridership.

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