Public Transit Neighborhood Transit Study

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Program Overview

Welcome to the Neighborhood Transit Study page!

In 2015, Phoenix voters approved Proposition 104, creating the 35-year street and transit plan known as Transportation 2050 or T2050. T2050 expands Phoenix's investment in bus service, light rail construction and street improvements. Already, T2050 has accomplished much!

The  Neighborhood Transit Study (NTS) is an important component of the T2050 program to continue expanding and improving Phoenix's neighborhood circulator routes. Current circulators loop through Phoenix neighborhoods to connect passengers to schools, businesses and other transit services in the downtown Phoenix, Ahwatukee, Maryvale and Sunnyslope communities. More about that later.

Program Progress

The City of Phoenix Public Transit Department is currently in Phase 2 of the NTS project which focuses on the Downtown Area Shuttle Circulator (DASH).

The interactive map below has been developed for Phase 2 based on public feedback received from Phase 1 and technical assessments. The proposed route options have been developed to include a downtown loop to create connectivity to entertainment, recreation, and housing destinations.

Use the interactive map to view the four proposed DASH route options. You can zoom in/out and use the legend to adjust the map filters. Open Map in Full Screen Window.
For an alternative format download DASH Route Options - English/Spanish (PDF).

Ways to Participate

You are a big part of T2050 and this neighborhood transit study! We want to hear from you about the proposed routes for the downtown Phoenix DASH. Community feedback collected during Phase 2 of the project will be used to identify a preferred DASH route from the proposed route options.

Ready to get involved?

Check out the DASH Interactive Story Map

Watch the Phase 1 Virtual Public Meeting (held on September 28, 2022)

Continue to check back as new opportunities are added, including events, surveys and more!

Community Education and Engagement Plan

The Community Education and Engagement Plan (plan en Español) or CEEP is a major component of the study and outlines community participation phases. The CEEP details how the study will incorporate community feedback from a variety of outreach and engagement opportunities. The plan has three phases that will remain consistent for each study area. The community feedback we receive will guide neighborhood transit service development. You can read the full CEEP plan below in the Documents section.

En Español - fases de participación

Study 101 - What is Neighborhood Transit?

So, let's back up this ride a little and talk about what neighborhood transit is. Neighborhood transit service provides a way to easily get around neighborhood areas and connect to local buses and light rail. The existing neighborhood transit service in Phoenix are circulators and Dial-a-Ride. You may have seen the circulator minibuses in your neighborhood dropping riders off at various places. Circulators in Phoenix include the DASH (Downtown Area Shuttle), MARY (Maryvale Area Ride for You), SMART (Sunnyslope Multi Access Residential Transit) and the ALEX (Ahwatukee Local Explorer). Like existing circulators, neighborhood transit assists in connections to the greater transit network such as local bus service, express bus service and light rail.

Some benefits of neighborhood transit include:  

Access to local destinations such as grocery stores, schools and parks
Smaller vehicles that can go through neighborhood streets
Potential for more flexible fixed routes and ability to request localized stops
A solution to connect riders to the nearest local bus route
Online trip planning and real-time arrival information

And yes, while there’s various options in neighborhood transit, each with its own benefits, this study will focus on and help evolve our existing circulator service so that together we can continue building a system that works for all.En Español - tipos de transporte público

Study Background

Since the NTS is part of T2050, we want to make sure we not only review the existing circulators and make improvements to it, but also plan for future growth.   

The study will first explore the role of existing circulators and understand (from you) how current circulator routes can be improved to serve our existing system. The study will help identify neighborhood transit needs including those needs in communities that don't currently have circulators. Ultimately, the goal is to provide you with multiple neighborhood transit options/solutions.  

If we want to go back even further, the NTS began in 2019 with a comprehensive research project about neighborhood transit service offerings. This research included a review of other cities like Phoenix (called peer cities). The research also points out innovative service solutions that other cities have implemented, their pros and cons and how feasible those would be in a city like Phoenix.   

If you can't wait to take a deeper dive into this great information, the above-mentioned research is available in two different memos – the Neighborhood Transit State of Practice Memorandum and the Downtown Phoenix – Looking Ahead Memorandum, both found in our Documents section. 

En Español - metas

Study Areas

En Español – áreas del estudio de transporte vecindario

The NTS will focus on four study areas that are currently served by existing circulator services. Each study area will have a separate but consistent process of evaluation and public engagement.

Future Study Areas 

MARY– The MARY loop runs seven days a week with a clockwise and counterclockwise hourly service. 
SMART – The SMART runs seven days a week at a 35-minute frequency. 
ALEX – The ALEX runs seven days a week on an hour service frequency.

Ongoing Study Area

The Downtown Neighborhood Transit Study will focus on the area that is currently serviced by the existing DASH circulator transit service. The DASH serves the downtown Phoenix area and runs weekdays at a 12-minute frequency. The NTS will identify improvements to current DASH services and route to serve more riders. The DASH study area is bordered by the I-10 to the north and east and the I-17 to the south and west.

En Español – área del estudio del vecindario central

Project Process

En Español - cronograma del proyecto

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Question 1: What are some benefits of neighborhood transit?

Answer:
• Access to local destinations such as grocery stores, schools, and parks
• Smaller vehicles that can go through neighborhood streets
• Potential for more flexible fixed routes and ability to request stops
• A solution to connect riders to the nearest local bus route
• Online trip planning and real-time arrival information

Question 2: What are the key features of neighborhood transit?

Answer:
• Serves a smaller area compared to local bus routes, like a neighborhood or school district
• Common destinations served are schools, recreation centers/parks, local grocery stores, and residential communities
• Minibuses are typically used for the service
• Service hours usually match local bus service; 12-14 hours a day
• Potential for more flexible fixed routes
• Allows passengers to request a stop

Service Features En Español - carateristicas del servicio

Question 3: How does neighborhood transit connect to the regional transit network?

Answer: Neighborhood transit services provide a way to move people to and from nearby destinations more effectively while also connecting to the larger local bus routes and light rail transit network. Neighborhood transit is focused on servicing smaller groups of people, to and from their homes, grocery stores, schools, employment centers, and community resources such as parks and libraries.

How Does Neighborhood Transit Work? En Español - como funciona el transporte de vecindario?

Question 4: What are the common service types for neighborhood transit?

Answer: Neighborhood transit services operate along a defined route on a fixed schedule, an example is the Phoenix Neighborhood Circulators. There are a few service variations within the route-based service that provides route and stop flexibility which are shown below. This enables passengers to request stops along the route or request route deviations up to ¾ mile, as per ADA Title VI guidelines.

Types of Service En Español - tipos de servicio

Question 5: How does neighborhood transit serve the ADA community?

Answer: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and access for persons with disabilities. All buses and light rail vehicles are compliant with ADA guidelines and designed for accessibility by all. In addition, Phoenix operates a Dial-a-Ride (DAR) service available to ADA-eligible passengers. Similarly, a neighborhood transit service will accommodate the needs of the ADA community. Transit vehicles shall be equipped with ramps to accommodate passengers in mobility devices upon request.

Review additional resources.