The region's public transit operator is ending its On Demand service next year citing high costs.
Regional Transit Service, or RTS, instead plans to restructure service in affected areas, to include expansion of some fixed routes.
"RTS On Demand proved to be very expensive and inefficient to operate, and not as reliable as customers need it to be," the agency wrote in a news release. "It comprises less than 3% of RTS’ overall ridership yet consumes 14% of its budget. Because of this, the on-demand service costs 6.5 times more per customer than fixed- route bus service."
The news release also noted that RTS is facing a structural budget deficit of $30 million fueled by costs that are growing faster than revenue. The changes to routes and On Demand service won't completely plug the gap, but will help bring the transit agency closer to having a structurally balanced budget, the release stated.
“The entire RTS team recognizes that this service restructuring will have an impact on our customers, and we do not take that responsibility lightly,” RTS CEO Miguel Velázquez said in a statement. “However, as stewards of taxpayer dollars, we have an obligation to ensure that we deliver service in the most reliable, efficient, and financially sustainable manner possible. Even though this was a very difficult decision to make, it is necessary to help us ensure the long-term health and sustainability of our community’s public transit system.”
On Demand service in Brockport, Irondequoit, Pittsford, and Webster will end on Jan. 22. In Greece, Henrietta, and the city of Rochester's Lexington Avenue area the service will end on April 2.
Select fixed routes in Henrietta, Greece, and the Lexington Avenue and Lee Road area will be expanded. Details on those changes can be found below. Changes to a Fairport/Penfield route are also planned.
The On Demand service launched in 2021 as part of the Reimagine RTS initiative, which included a major overhaul of its routes. The service, which used smaller buses and vans, was meant as a flexible way to fill gaps created by the elimination of some suburban routes.
Last year, the transit service solicited public feedback on the possibility of rate increases for the service. It was also weighing potential changes to the way the service worked.
Details of the route changes, including maps and schedules, will be available in 2027, according to RTS. Information is also available on the RTS website.
The upcoming fixed route changes include:
- Extending the Elmwood Commuter Route 97 in Henrietta to serve the Calkins Road VA clinic, the Henrietta Community Center, the Henrietta Public Library, and a planned housing development near East Henrietta and Calkins roads.
- Creating a new commuter route from the RTS Transit Center to the area of Lexington Avenue and Lee Road. The schedule will include seven-day-a week morning and evening service to LiDestri Foods, L3Harris, Love Beets, Flower City Group, Edison Tech High School, and Amazon.
- Creating a new route connecting the transit center with destinations in Greece including Orchard Place apartments and the Dewey Avenue Walmart. The new route will partially mirror the existing Route 22 Lake bus route but also will serve portions of West Ridge Road, Stone Road, Mt. Read Boulevard, and Vintage Lane. The addition of this route also expands RTS' required ADA service area.
- Re-routing Route 50 Fairport/Penfield Suburban to begin and end at the transit center instead of the Blossom Loop connection hub. The revised route also will provide service to some locations in the former Pittsford On Demand zone, including the Friendly Home and St. John Fisher College.
