The blue Sky View A publication of valley metro business services Spring 2010

Ride Share Month Events Successful! alley Metro and Governor Jan Brewer declared VFebruary as “Try 1 in 5” Month and challenged commuters to leave their cars at home one day per work week. Commuters can save $70 per month by not driving alone in their cars, according to the AAA report “Your Driving Costs.” Carpooling and vanpooling, using public transportation, telecommuting, biking or walking to work can save as much as $840 in annual car-related costs. Some drivers report saving $156 a Vanpool demonstrations month due to the length of their commute, according to Valley Metro data. The events on Feb. 16 and 17 were well-attended and helpful to current and potential TRP participants. Valley Metro’s As part of the month-long celebration, two Business Services team was there to demonstrate the ease companies in the Trip Reduction Program (TRP), of registering and using ShareTheRide, the online commute Swift Transportation and Bank of America, hosted a tracking and carpool matching system, as well as vanpool transportation expo and promoted alternative modes. and bus experts to discuss programs and route planning.

Bus demonstrations

Valley Metro Business Services consultations

Contact your Business Services representative for ideas on how you can execute a transportation event and boost awareness of trip reduction at your company. Special thanks to Don Diggins, Transportation Coordinator at Swift Transportation, Sheila Henson, Transportation Coordinator at Bank of America, and Fry’s Food Stores Raffle prizes for registering for donating refreshments. April is Valley Bike Month

Spring weather in the Valley makes it the ideal time to get out and ride! Enjoy all the benefits of biking – health, environmental, and money-saving. Whether you get out and ride with family and friends on the weekend or bike to work, now is the time to give it a try!

Bring your family and friends to any of the fun rides, bike safety expos and events below. Go to ValleyMetro.org for more details.

Events Schedule Bike to Work & School Day 3/27: Glendale Family Bike Ride & Green Festival, 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.* 4/22: Tempe Bike to Work & School Day 6:30 am – 8 am Six locations will be offering free breakfast to bike commuters: 4/3: REI Used Bike Drive, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. . Berning’s Fine Jewelry 4/10: Peoria Pioneer Days Family Bike Ride, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. . Whole Foods Market . Transportation Center 4/11: Scottsdale Cycle the Arts Bike Ride, 8:30 a.m. . IKEA 4/17: City of Chandler Family Bike Ride, 9 a.m. – noon* . REI . Back East Bagels 4/17: Avondale Eco Avenues Event, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.* 4/22: Glendale Bike to Work & School Day 4/18: Bike2BBQ at Papago Park, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. 4/22: Phoenix/Maricopa County Bike to Work Day 7 am – 8:30 a.m. 4/22: Valley Bike to Work & School Day 4/22: Mesa Bike to Work Day 5:30 am – 7:30 am 4/22: Phoenix Children’s Hospital Bike Safety Day, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.* 4/22: Scottsdale Bike to Work Day 7 am – 8 am 4/24: Peoria Re-Cycle the River, 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. 4/26: Town of Gilbert Bike to Work Day 8 am – 9 am 4/24: Mesa Bike4Life Ride, 8:30 a.m. – noon* Various Days in April: 4/25: Valley Metro Great Bike Chase, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.* Gilbert Bike to School Celebration 5/1: Arizona Bicycle Club Desert Classic, 6 a.m.

*Event includes bike safety expos and Radio Disney. Register online at ValleyMetro.org The Great Bike Chase April 25, 2010

. Bike Ride . Bike Safety Rodeo . AZ Diamondbacks Game . Radio Disney

Valley Metro’s Great Bike Chase 2010 — April 25 Take friends and family on a 4-mile “fun ride” through downtown Phoenix to see the Arizona Diamondbacks play at Chase Field — featuring pre-ride activities at the park, a Bike Safety Rodeo, bike-on-bus demonstrations, entertainment by Radio Disney Ways to Be BRIGHT and secure bicycle parking at the Jefferson Street garage. • Be bright day and night. • Look left, right, left. Game: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies • Obey traffic signs and laws. Cost: • Helmet your head. Ride Only: $10 • Ride on the right. Ride + Game ticket (upper level-infield reserve): $16 • Eat right for more fuel. • Stay hydrated. Ride + Game ticket (lower level-left field bleacher):$20 • Bike it - don’t drive it. (Event Day) Ride + Game ticket (best available): $30

Margaret T. Hance Park Find more bright tips, 1134 N. Central Ave. visit ValleyMetro.org or Phoenix call 602.262.RIDE(7433). (enter via Culver St., south of McDowell, from 3rd , 5th or 7th Avenue) The Great Bike Chase is funded by Be BRIGHT, a Valley Metro bike and pedestrian safety campaign. New Stop Added to Route 660 in Sun City West

Effective Monday, March 8, the rural connector bus route that travels between Wickenburg, Wittmann, Surprise and Glendale on weekdays and Saturdays will now go to the Sun City West Foundation at 14465 R.H. Johnson Blvd. The bus stop is being added to provide transportation for Sun City West residents who want to go to the Arrowhead Towne Center for shopping and social activities. The service is also convenient for passengers making local trips between Grand Avenue and Bell Road. If you have employees living in or your company is located in the northwest Valley, Route 660 may be a viable commute option. Check route Park-and-Ride stops and schedules at Park-and-Ride lot ValleyMetro.org. expansion at 40th Street and Pecos Road Route 660 also provides flexible stops which allows passengers to Phoenix will expand its choose their own pick-up and drop-off location up to three-quarters park-and-ride lot at 40th mile from the regular route. The flexible service requires a one-day Street and Pecos Road in the advance notice. Call 800.713.3809 to make a reservation. Ahwatukee Foothills by 353 For more information about Route 660 or any Valley Metro transit spaces this year, using $3 service, go to ValleyMetro.org or call 602.253.5000. million in federal stimulus funds.

The lot, built in 2003, is the ROUTE 685 most heavily used in Phoenix. Fifth Year Anniversary

Commuters from March 2010 marked the five-year anniversary of Route 685 Ajo/ Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gila Bend! Route 685 enables greater job opportunity for travelers Gilbert and elsewhere in the by connecting Ajo, Gila Bend, Buckeye, Avondale and Phoenix, in Southeast Valley park there addition to helping to before hopping on buses reduce air pollution. to get to jobs or events in A week-long downtown Phoenix. celebration, March On many days, cars are 22 - 26, featured parked along curbs because celebrations at stops the drivers were unable to along the route, along find empty spots before their with entertainment, buses took off. giveaways and free The additional spaces will be rides all week. For on city-owned land west of route and schedule the lot. information, visit Construction, which began ValleyMetro.org. in January 2010, was able to sustain and/or create a total of 120 jobs, and will be complete by year end. Service Changes

New Mesa Bus Service Coming this Summer

On July 26, two new bus routes will begin service in Mesa.

Mesa Community College, Superstition Springs Mall, Mesa Gateway Airport and ASU Polytechnic will all be connected by a new bus route operating on Power Road. Route 184 will provide 7 day a week service along Mesa’s Power Road Knowledge Corridor.

In addition, Arizona Avenue/Country Club LINK FYI: Mobile Air service will Monitoring Program connect For over 50 years, Maricopa County Chandler, Gilbert has been monitoring the air quality and Mesa. throughout this region using a This new LINK network of fixed air monitoring sites. service will In November 2006, the Maricopa connect the County Board of Supervisors approved Tumbleweed the next phase in the County’s Park-and-Ride in monitoring network; a mobile air Chandler and the Sycamore Transit Center in Mesa. monitoring program. This top-of-the- The new route will give passengers in this area a line equipment is used to perform direct connection to METRO light rail. case studies, compliant investigations For the latest transit service additions and stack testing. and changes visit ValleyMetro.org often.

The Mobile Air Monitoring Program includes a trailer that has continuous air pollutant monitors measuring criteria pollutants such as ozone, particulate matter [PM-10 and PM-2.5], carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and lead.

Visit CleanAirMakeMore.org for more information. UPCOMING TCA MEETINGS: Training If you can’t make a face-to-face TCA meeting, consider joining one of our monthly webinars. Each covers the same material as face-to-face meetings, so Events please feel free to register and join us remotely! Go to ValleyMetro.org for a complete schedule.

Calendar March SE Valley 3/24 Central City 3/25 NEW TO THE TRIP May REDUCTION PROGRAM? SW Valley 5/5 Valley Metro offers a free interactive NE Valley 5/11 NW Valley 5/19 workshop for new Transportation S Central 5/20 Coordinators (TCs). The classes SE Valley 5/26 are designed to assist with key Central City 5/27 components of the Trip Reduction Program at worksites, and get new Please note: There are no face-to-face meetings TCs started with support tools. in April, July, August, November or December. Attendees receive a comprehensive training manual and a copy of their current TRP Plan. To register, or if you have questions regarding MEETING DAYS & LOCATIONS Introduction to TRP, please call SW Valley – 8:30 am Valley Metro at 602.262.7433. Swift Transportation 2200 S. 75th Ave. Location: Phoenix, AZ 85043 Lake Powell Training Room Valley Metro 7th Floor Conference Room NE Valley – 8:30 am 302 N. 1st Ave., Suite 700 Town of Paradise Valley Phoenix, AZ 85003 6433 E. Lincoln Drive Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 Police training room Upcoming Classes: NW Valley – 8:30 am Times: 9:00am – 11:00 am Glendale City Council Chambers Wednesday, April 14 5850 W. Glendale Avenue Wednesday, May 12 Glendale, AZ 85301 S Central – 8:30 am East Valley Bus Operations & Maintenance Facility 2050 W Rio Salado Parkway Tempe, AZ 85281

ValleyMetro.org SE Valley – 9:00 am 602.262.RIDE (7433) City of Mesa Transportation Department TTY: 602.261.8208 300 E. Sixth Street Mesa, AZ 85201 The Blue Sky View newsletter is a Central City – 8:30 am publication of Valley Metro and is Phoenix Art Museum Wolfswinkel Education Center available online at ValleyMetro.org. 1625 N. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004

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