Sun Metro making changes to 11 bus routes

EL PASO, Texas -- Sun Metro says it is set to make changes to 11 bus routes in an effort "to better meet the demand for ridership".

The impacted routes are 3, 5, 6, 12, 16, 17, 26, 33, 42, 89 and Alameda Brio.

On Monday, Sun Metro held two community meetings to allow the community to raise any concerns they might have about these changes.

At one of those meetings, John Camacho, the husband of a teacher who works at a northeast El Paso High School raised concerns about students being able to get to school on time now that route 42 is being discontinued.

Some of his wife's students live in Juarez and have to wake up at 3.30 a.m. to get across the bridge and catch route 42 to get to school on time, he said.

Camacho told ABC-7 that the route takes the students about 20 minutes and only has two stops. Meanwhile, Dyer Brio, the route that will now serve that area, has 22 stops which Camacho says will take about 50 minutes to an hour.

Sun Metro estimates Dyer Brio will take about 45 minutes to get from downtown to northeast El Paso.

"We know some of the students and they're the ones concerned about making that trip and getting up extra early especially with the time changes and the winter coming," Camacho said.

Sun Metro said they will monitor the situation and will look at making service modifications quarterly.

"If we see that we have a bus stop that has a lot of people and we're not bringing the bus through there frequently enough then we'll make other changes," Astrid Bunner, the managing assistant director at Sun Metro, said. "We're just going to be adjusting and moving as the public moves."

The new routes will take effect on Sunday, Nov. 21.

ROUTE MODIFICATIONS

Impacted routes are: 3, 5, 6, 12, 16, 17, 26, 33, 42, 89 and Alameda Brio

Route 5: Far East/ Cielo Vista Express – route change now traveling on Pebble Hills minimizing Zaragoza traffic congestion

Route 6: Far East/ Mission Valley Express – route change now traveling on Pebble Hills, minimizing Zaragoza traffic congestion

Route 12: Doniphan Circulator – route and schedule change providing service to Artcraft, Borderland, and Upper Valley

Route 17: Three Hills NW EPCC – route and schedule change to service South Desert Boulevard directly for improved service time. Route 19 to serve the area

Alameda Brio will improve service times and a more direct connection from Mission Valley Transit Center to the Downtown Transit Center. Modification in service will arrive at Downtown Transfer Center faster due to the elimination of stop at Five Points.

NEW ROUTES

Route 26: Five Points/Alameda Express – new express route servicing 5 Points and the University Medical Center of El Paso campus.

Route 89: Zaragoza Bridge Circulator – new route due to increase in service demand

ROUTE DEACTIVATIONS

DUE TO DUPLICATION OF SERVICE AND/OR LOW RIDERSHIP

Route 3: Ysleta Express –route will be deactivated. Alameda Brio to serve the area

Route 16: Upper Valley Circulator – route will be deactivated. Route 12 to serve the area

Route 33: Gov’t Hill via Bassett Place – route will be deactivated. Multiple route options to service the area.

Route 42: Northeast Connector – route will be deactivated, Dyer Brio to serve the area

For more information about Sun Metro service changes, riders can visit sunmetro.net or call (915) 212-3333.