Chapter 2: Proposed Bus Modifications - Metro Gold Line Foothill ...

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CHAPTER 2 | PROPOSED BUS ROUTE MODIFICATIONS
NET COST OF BUS INTERFACE RECOMMENDATIONS: PASADENA TO AZUSA PROJECT
This section presents a preliminary estimate of operating cost associated with the preceding recommendations. Gold
Line service span and frequency are key variables that will aff ect both the total operating cost of the Pasadena to Azusa
feeder bus network as well as the extent to which schedule coordination between buses and trains may be achieved at
the new rail stations. As actual 2015 rail schedules have yet to be fi nalized, the following assumptions have been drawn
for purposes of plan costing.
• Service Span – It is assumed that the Gold Line will operate seven days per week generally between the hours of 4:30
a.m. and 1:00 a.m., a daily span of 20.5 hours. This is comparable to the existing service span operated on the Gold
Line between Pasadena and Los Angeles.
• Service Frequency – Design headways recommended during the engineering phase diff er from the current level of
service operated between Pasadena and Los Angeles. Planned Pasadena to Azusa service frequencies by service day
and time period are summarized in Table 2-2.
TABLE 2-2 Metro Gold Line Service Span and Frequency
February 2011
SERVICE FREQUENCY
Service Day Operating Hours Early AM a.m. Peak Base p.m. Peak Night
Weekday 4:30am - 1:00 am 15 10 15 10 20
Saturday 4:30am - 1:00 am 20 20 15 15 20
Sunday 4:30am - 1:00 am 20 20 15 15 20
Two bus service scenarios are included in this section to provide a range of probable operating cost for the Pasadena to
Azusa bus network:
• Base Case – includes all intersecting routes operating on modifi ed alignments as proposed at or near prevailing (2011)
service levels in terms of service span and frequency;
• Enhanced Service Levels – includes all intersecting routes operating on modifi ed alignments as proposed at
enhanced service levels including service span equivalent to that of the Gold Line and bus frequencies suffi cient to
meet every other train on a directional basis.
Ideally, buses and trains should operate on an even multiple of the same headway to ensure schedule coordination on a
directional basis. However, in consideration of both the suburban character of the Pasadena to Azusa service area and
current 30 to 60 minute headways on many of the existing routes, it is assumed that meeting every train on a directional
basis may be unattainable within the current transit funding environment in California. Therefore it is recommended that
for planning purposes target headways for intersecting bus routes be based on an objective of meeting every other Gold
Line train on a bi-directional basis.
BASE CASE
As indicated in Table 2-3, cumulative annual revenue vehicle hours for all intersecting routes would increase by 0.8
percent, from 394,734 to 398,054 assuming the base case scenario. Key changes include the proposed discontinuation of
Foothill Transit Route 494. Additional savings would come from the truncation of Foothill Route 690 at the Azusa-Citrus
Station, and truncation of Foothill Route 272 at Monrovia Station. These operating cost reductions would be off set by the
extension of Foothill Routes 284 to Azusa-Citrus Station, division of Foothill Route 187 and Metro Route 487 into multiple
routes, and various minor route extensions and span improvements as necessary to support the proposed bus interface
plan.
Foothill Extension Bus Interface Plan