Albuquerque’s Transit Department is looking for residents to voice their opinions on future bus routes and how safe they feel taking public transit.
The department offers interactive maps on its ABQ Ride Forward Network Plan website, where residents can review proposed route changes in specific parts of the city.
Principal Planner and Project Manager for ABQ Ride Forward Andrew DeGarmo said his team is asking the public to tell them if they’re "on the right track.”
“We're asking questions like, ‘Is this better for you? For people? You know, for the city as a whole?’" he said. "But also, we'd really like to get specific feedback, you know, things like, ‘I don't like the change to route five."
DeGarmo said, based on past surveys, the proposals would get rid of commuter routes, opting instead for frequent, all-day routes.
“There are tons of people who commute, but they don't commute to office jobs,” he said. “They’re going to work at, you know, a retail job or service job. They don't commute eight to five, and they work on weekends.”
Recommendations will be collected through Sept. 15 and can be submitted online, over the phone or in person at the transit center.
The agency is also looking for the public’s thoughts on the safety and security challenges of riding the bus.
Deputy Director of ABQ Ride Bobby Cisneros said the transit agency has seen fewer violent incidents recently, but other problems persist.
“We're seeing a lot of loitering at bus stops and, while they're loitering, they're openly doing drugs at these locations, or they might be drinking alcohol,” he said. “So, those are the kinds of incidents that we're starting to see increase, not so much the violent incidents that we were used to seeing at the beginning of 2022. So, that's a huge win for us.”
Cisneros said his team wants riders to let them know what is happening, when, and where, to help bring about change.
“If we don't know about it, we can't do anything about it,” he said. “So, we need folks to step in and let us know.”
ABQ Ride is accepting input on the safety study through the end of the month.
Support from the coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.