News & Events Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Mountain Line | Fixed Route Service in Flagstaff

Mountain Line Makes Getting to School Easy, Convenient, And Safe

It’s officially back-to-school season, and Mountain Line student semester and annual transit passes are an essential part of the school supply checklist.

Mountain Line offers a safe and reliable transportation option for students to get to and from school and other activities. There are eight routes traversing Flagstaff, stopping within walking distance of most Flagstaff schools. Mountain Line continues to offer route deviations on Routes 2 and 3 to better serve BASIS School and Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) during the school year. Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy (FALA) students can also take advantage of supplemental morning and afternoon service on Route 5, which offers more options to get to and from school.

Flagstaff students enrolled in a K-12 school can purchase a Mountain Line semester pass for $49. Fall semester passes are valid Aug. 1 – Dec. 31 and spring semester passes are valid Jan. 1 – Jun. 15. An annual pass, valid for the entire calendar year from the date of purchase, is available for $119. Both passes are valid on the entire Mountain Line system for the duration of the pass.

Mountain Line has made several recent upgrades to the safety and security of the transit system, including the addition of new exterior and interior cameras that can be viewed in real time from the main office. Mountain Line also added a Safety Supervisor position to the team. This position is responsible for riding Mountain Line routes during peak times, and working with passengers to offer assistance and enforcement of policies. The Safety Supervisor supports Mountain Line’s ability to be an efficient and safe transit system and adds a level of support to both drivers and riders.

Student passes are available for purchase at the NAIPTA office at 3773 N. Kaspar Dr. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. To purchase the pass, all students must show proof of enrollment and bring a student ID, if applicable. Passes can also be purchased at https://mountainline.az.gov/product-category/student-passes/ and will be mailed to students.

The NAIPTA front desk staff is happy to answer any questions about routes and the best way for students to access their individual schools. Call 928.779.6624 or visit
https://mountainline.az.gov/students/ for additional information.

NAIPTA is the transit agency in northern Arizona operating the Mountain Line, Mountain Lift and Mountain Link systems in Flagstaff. NAIPTA also coordinates services with Campus Shuttle Service at Northern Arizona University.

Mountain Line Service Changes Go into Effect on August 4

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (July 31, 2019) – Mountain Line is implementing service changes effective August 4, 2019 to improve efficiency and expand service. These include:

Route 2
The morning and afternoon deviations to Gemini Rd. (BASIS) will be consolidated to better coincide with school timing and improve on-time performance. The following deviations will remain in place:

Downtown-bound buses (Stop 23a): 7:07 a.m., 3:47 p.m.
Flagstaff Mall-bound buses (Stop 6a): 7:14 a.m., 3:54 p.m.

Route 3
A stop will be added at Route 66 and Country Club, between the existing Stops 15 and 16. This is a shared stop with Route 66.

Route 5
Weekday evening service on Route 5 will extend by one hour. The last bus will depart the Downtown Connection Center at 9:15 p.m. and go out of service at Flagstaff Medical Center at 9:46 p.m.

Route 7
The existing Route 7 will be split, creating a new Route 8. Route 7 details include:

Starts and ends at the Downtown Connection Center and includes the existing Route 7 stops 10-32 (Butler/Huntington corridor and Sunnyside area).
20-minute weekday and 60-minute evening/weekend frequency

Route 8
This is a new route that starts and ends at the Downtown Connection Center and includes the existing Route 7 Stops 1-9 (West Route 66 and Woodlands Village). Details include:

30-minute weekday and 60-minute evening/weekend frequency
The current Route 7, Stop 2 at Barnes & Noble will move slightly to the west, near the intersection of W. Route 66 and Riordan Rd.

Route 66

The time point currently associated with Stop 4 at Route 66 and Ponderosa Pkwy. will move to Stop 3 at Route 66 and Switzer Canyon Dr. The actual timing of the route will not change.
The time point currently associated with Stop 7 at Route 66 and Steves Blvd. will move to Stop 6 at Route 66 and Fourth St. The actual timing of the route will not change.

Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/servicechanges for full details on the service changes

Highway 180 Partnership Wins Statewide Transit Award

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (April 10, 2019) – Several northern Arizona organizations were recognized as the “Partnership of the Year” for their joint efforts to mitigate winter congestion on Highway 180 at the 2019 Arizona Transit Association (AzTA) and Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) Excellence Awards.

The award ceremony took place on Wednesday, April 10 during the AzTA / ADOT Annual Transit Conference in Mesa, AZ.

The Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) received a grant from ADOT to develop an implementation plan for the Highway 180 corridor, with a goal of taking things past the discussion phase, and into developing a roadmap for putting real solutions into action. Simultaneously, Coconino County Supervisor Art Babbott formed a U.S. 180 Citizens Task Force and a separate Agency Task Force to brainstorm and implement tangible solutions to winter congestion.

These groups, along with Arizona Snowbowl, Coconino County, City of Flagstaff, U.S. Forest Service, and ADOT worked together to gather data and make informed decisions about the potential solutions that have been discussed for decades. By mapping and generating cost estimates for the often-discussed alternate access routes to Interstate 40 and using historic cell phone data to accurately assess traffic delays in the corridor, the group determined the costs of developing alternate access would not provide enough of a benefit to be worth the investment.

Other solutions like increased transit service rose to the top in their ability to get cars off the road without building new infrastructure. Arizona Snowbowl invested in a significant increase to the annual Mountain Express bus service between downtown and the resort, and Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) joined the partnership by providing access to the Flagstaff High School parking lot as a free park and ride. This strategy paid off, with Mountain Express seeing its highest ridership ever (165 percent increase over the previous year), and according to the Citizens Task Force, a noticeable decrease in the congestion along the corridor.

NAIPTA Board Selects Erika Mazza As Next CEO & General Manager

The Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) Board of Directors announced today their selection of NAIPTA Deputy General Manager Erika Mazza to serve as the organization’s next CEO and General Manager.

Mazza will succeed Jeff Meilbeck, who has served as the head of Flagstaff’s transit agency for more than 20 years. He started with Coconino County’s Pine Country Transit and led the evolution to what is now the Mountain Line Transit system serving nearly 2.5 million riders a year.

Prior to joining NAIPTA nearly seven years ago, Mazza was the Human Services Planning & Policy Manager for the City of Boulder and the Housing Planning & Policy Manager for the City of Flagstaff. She also served as a Lecturer in Northern Arizona University’s Planning Department. Mazza is currently on the Board of Directors for the Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization (FMPO), American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and Flagstaff Leadership Program. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Planning from Northern Vermont University and a Master of Science in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Wyoming.

“The NAIPTA Board of Directors engaged in a thorough nationwide search for a new CEO, and we are thrilled to announce that NAIPTA Deputy General Manager Erika Mazza has accepted the position,” said Flagstaff City Councilman and NAIPTA Board Chair Scott Overton. “Erika exemplifies NAIPTA’s strong history, and through her expertise and leadership, the organization is well-positioned for the future.”

“I would like to thank the NAIPTA Board of Directors and recognize current NAIPTA CEO Jeff Meilbeck for his more than 20 years of transit leadership in Flagstaff,” said incoming NAIPTA CEO & General Manager Erika Mazza. “I look forward to leading Mountain Line through enhancing transit opportunities within the NAIPTA region, and I am especially pleased to continue working with an incredible team.”

The NAIPTA Board is scheduled to consider the contract at their September meeting with an anticipated start date on October 1, 2018.

Mountain Line Marks 18th Straight Year of Ridership Growth

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (August 7, 2018) – Mountain Line is bucking the nationwide trend of declining bus ridership, registering another year of record ridership and surpassing Fiscal Year 2017 ridership by more than 17 percent.

The official ridership tally for July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 was 2,440,338. When Mountain Line started in 2001, the annual ridership was just shy of 200,000, and the agency hit the 1 million rider mark in 2009 and the 2 million rider mark in 2017. While Mountain Line’s ridership has been on the rise, many bus systems across the country have been experiencing multi-year ridership declines. According to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) ridership report, bus ridership is down 4.27 percent through the end of 2017.

One factor for the ridership increase was the addition of new buses to better serve busy routes. After experiencing overcrowding and crush loads on Route 10 (free for NAU students and connects the Woodlands Village area and downtown Flagstaff via the NAU campus), Mountain Line applied for and received grant funding to purchase five 60-foot, hybrid-electric articulated buses, to make a total of six in the entire fleet. The articulated buses allow Mountain Line to move twice as many riders (as compared to a standard bus) with only one driver, creating operational efficiencies and increased capacity. With the addition of the articulated buses, Route 10 ridership increased 48 percent over the previous year.

“Mountain Line is committed to finding innovative solutions to issues and seeking out grant funding to leverage the local tax dollars,” said Flagstaff City Councilmember and NAIPTA Board Chair Scott Overton.

In addition to serving more people than ever before Mountain Line is also experiencing an uptick in rider satisfaction levels. The biennial Rider Satisfaction Survey, last conducted in April 2018, revealed an overall satisfaction level of 4.5, on a five-point scale. Bus driver courtesy and safety and security both onboard the bus and at stops were two areas that grew significantly since the last survey.

Mountain Line Receives National Recognition for Marketing Program

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (October 19, 2017) – The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) presented Mountain Line with an AdWheel Grand Award at its annual meeting in Atlanta, GA last week, recognizing the agency’s marketing and communications efforts around the Proposition 411 Transit Tax Renewal educational campaign.

The awards recognize APTA member public transportation systems and business members for their outstanding marketing and communications campaigns. Nearly 350 entries were evaluated by more than 100 industry experts and awards were presented in three categories: efforts to increase ridership or sales, efforts to highlight transit needs and funding, and educational efforts. Honors were awarded in four groups, based on system size. Mountain Line’s winning entry was in the efforts to highlight transit needs and funding category for systems with 4 million or less annual riders.

The Proposition 411 educational campaign was aimed at keeping Mountain Line top of mind on a crowded November 2016 ballot, reinforcing the message that it was a continuation of an existing tax, and reminding voters that Mountain Line delivered on all promises made in the 2008 election. Proposition 411 passed with a 71 percent approval rating, allowing Mountain Line to keep serving the Flagstaff community through 2030.

“We are fortunate to maintain an extremely positive relationship with the Flagstaff community, but the nature of the 2016 election cycle meant that we couldn’t make any assumptions,” said NAIPTA CEO & General Manager Jeff Meilbeck. “Conducting an effective and informative public education campaign was paramount, and I am thrilled that our efforts have been recognized by our national transit association.”

NAIPTA receives $200K planning grant to support Highway 180 congestion mitigation efforts

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (April 7, 2017) – On the heels of Coconino County Supervisor Art Babbott’s “Grappling with Gridlock” forum, the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) was awarded a $200,000 Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) grant to develop an implementation plan for the Highway 180 corridor.

Supervisor Babbott, who also serves as the NAIPTA Board Chair, convened the “Grappling with Gridlock” forum on March 30 and the follow-up on April 6 to engage community members in coming up with long-term solutions to the snow-related traffic congestion on Highway 180. The forum started with the premise that as a community, we have already tried many of the low cost, “low hanging fruit” solutions. To mitigate the extreme gridlock on Highway 180, the community, agencies, and local government all must think and act on a bigger scale.

One of the solutions that has been tested the past two years is NAIPTA’s Mountain Express transit service to Arizona Snowbowl on key weekend days. Although the program grew year-over-year, serving more than 8,400 riders in the 2016-2017 season, there were many factors that prevented it from serving as a viable tool for preventing congestion on Highway 180.

The Implementation Plan will serve as a component of Supervisor Babbott’s overall Highway 180 congestion mitigation efforts. NAIPTA will bring together a group of stakeholders, including the ski and snowplay operators, Coconino County, City of Flagstaff, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Forest Service, and residents, all of whom are critical to the success of this project. For transit to be successful in the Highway 180 corridor, coordination among stakeholders for items like parking/permit fees and enforcement is necessary, along with a broader and more robust service schedule.

“As the Grappling with Gridlock forums have shown, work is needed on many fronts when it comes to identifying viable solutions to a problem that is decades in the making,” said Supervisor Babbott. “The funding for this plan will complement the efforts of our dedicated group of residents and businesses, spelling out exactly how to make a difference in the current congestion levels.”

In addition to the enforcement and fee aspects, the final plan will also include the number of buses and riders needed to make an impact on congestion, routes and schedules, Park and Ride opportunities, strategies for incentivizing drivers to take the bus during peak times, and a pre/post traffic analysis to gauge success. There will be additional opportunities for public input as the Implementation Plan is developed. The ultimate goal is to apply for “demonstration” funds to actually implement the plan for the 2018-2019 winter season

Mountain Line and CCC partner on new pilot pass program

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (August 25, 2016) – The Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) and Coconino Community College (CCC) boards of directors have entered into a one-year agreement to provide Mountain Line transit passes to all CCC students and employees.

This pilot program, which will end on August 31, 2017, is the innovative solution that arose out of discussions between the two organizations about CCC’s parking shortages during peak class times. CCC is well-served by existing transit service, with five buses an hour stopping in front of the school on weekdays. If transit ridership among CCC employees and students increases, the organizations hope to see a correlating decrease in parking demand.

“Increased transit ridership is often an economical alternative to building expensive parking lots, and we are eager to evaluate our pilot program with CCC to see if we can move the needle with this group,” said NAIPTA CEO & General Manager Jeff Meilbeck. “The manageable population size at CCC will help us determine if a program like this is viable on a larger scale.”

“The partnership between Mountain Line and Coconino Community College is a wonderful benefit for our students and employees here at CCC,” said President Colleen A. Smith, Ph.D. “The free bus pass program will certainly help our students who may have transportation challenges and will also help with parking issues during the College’s peak times of use. One of our core values at the CCC is Sustainability, and this partnership will certainly help protect the environment with decreased use of vehicles by our students and employees.”

All current CCC employees and enrolled students are eligible to receive a pass during the pilot program. All pilot program participants will be required to present a CCC identification card, and when a student or employee leaves CCC, their pass will be surrendered or deactivated. The passes are valid on all Mountain Line routes at any time of day. To get a bus pass, a student or employee must have a valid CCC ID card, fill out a form, sign to accept the terms and conditions and then proceed to the Student Reception area at the Lone Tree Campus, where a Business Office staff member will be stationed during peak enrollment periods.

NAIPTA and CCC will review ridership data and evaluate the program after the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters to determine future plans beyond the pilot program.

Student success is the heart and purpose of Coconino Community College. CCC provides affordable tuition and a wide variety of certificates and degrees including career/technical education with nearly 50 certificate programs and two-year associate degrees in various fields including nursing, fire science, law enforcement, construction trades and business. The award-winning CCC2NAU program provides an innovative way to smooth a student’s path toward a bachelor’s degree at Northern Arizona University with tailored advisement and institutional collaboration, including access to amenities at NAU.

Since 1991, CCC has served residents across 18,000 square miles of Coconino County. CCC has helped create the region’s skilled workforce, which is improving overall health, safety and the economy in the region. Today, CCC serves more than 7,500 students per year with two campuses in Flagstaff and an Instructional Site in Page. CCC reaches out to the more rural portions of the County through in-person, online and Interactive Television classes, including Williams, the Grand Canyon/Tusayan, Fredonia, Tuba City and other remote areas on the Navajo, Hopi and Supai Tribal Lands. Nearly 20 percent of CCC’s students are Native American Learners.

Flagstaff voters approve Proposition 411, Mountain Line funding continues

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (November 8, 2016) – The results of the November 8 general election have been tabulated, and Flagstaff voters have approved a continuation of the Mountain Line transit tax through 2030, with 71 percent of voters in support.

The current transit tax sunsets in 2020, and Flagstaff City Council voted to put Proposition 411 on the November 2016 ballot, asking voters to decide if the tax should be continued at the same rate for 10 more years. The approval of Proposition 411 means that Mountain Line can continue providing public transit in Flagstaff, at the current level, through 2030.

“On behalf of the NAIPTA Board of Directors, I would like to thank Flagstaff voters for once again placing their confidence in Mountain Line and realizing the importance of public transit,” said NAIPTA Board Chair and Coconino County Supervisor Art Babbott. “The services Mountain Line provides are vital to this community, and the approval of Proposition 411 is a critical component of a viable and effective regional transportation system.”

“Our staff works diligently to embody our mission of “Getting You Where You Want to Go,” and we are honored that Flagstaff voters have voiced their approval of our work,” said NAIPTA CEO & General Manager Jeff Meilbeck. “Mountain Line has a proven track record of efficiency, ingenuity, and delivering on our promises, and we intend on carrying that commitment forward with the approval of Proposition 411.”

NAIPTA and North Country Launch Two New Vanpools

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (February 18, 2016) – North Country HealthCare is the first employer to sign up for the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority’s (NAIPTA) new commuter vanpool program, taking delivery of two vehicles this week.

While an employee-initiated vanpool of pharmacists traveling between Flagstaff and the Winslow Indian Health Center has been going for a few months, this partnership with North Country marks the first time that a local employer has taken advantage of the cost-saving benefits of commuter vanpools to transport employees.

NAIPTA launched the Mountain Line vanpool program last year with the goal of providing an alternative to the single-passenger vehicle for groups of workers traveling to and from similar places within Coconino County and the surrounding area. Commuter vanpools are much like carpools only they include more people and no one is using their personal vehicle. The group shares the cost of a monthly lease for use of the van and the fuel. By dividing commuting costs among the group, annual savings versus using one’s own car are substantial, and it takes vehicles off the road, lessening traffic and emissions.

North Country will use its two vanpool vehicles for the dental care employees who travel to facilities in Ash Fork and Winslow. North Country recently expanded its dental services in these two communities, putting a strain on their existing fleet vehicles.

“The biggest advantages to having the vanpools are time and peace of mind for the team,” said North Country Dental Manager Krista Bush. “They won’t have to worry if they have a car reserved for their next trip or spend the valuable time that it takes to rent a vehicle. Additionally, the vanpool program also takes care of the maintenance of the vehicles, allowing us to pay one price and everything is included.”

“As the transit agency that serves all of northern Arizona, NAIPTA is committed to providing quality transportation solutions for the hundreds of employees that commute throughout this vast region,” said NAIPTA CEO & General Manager Jeff Meilbeck. “We congratulate North Country for offering creative transportation options to its employees and look forward to expanding this program to additional organizations in northern Arizona.”

For more information about the Mountain Line vanpool program, visit www.mountainlinevanpool.com or contact Kate Morley at 928.679.8903.