Friday, July 30, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Monorail-to-downtown bus service ends

A lack of slack in Citizens Area Transit's bus fleet led to a sudden end to connector bus service between the Las Vegas Monorail and downtown Las Vegas on Thursday.

Route 551's light ridership appeared to play a role in its demise after just two weeks of service. But the main culprit was a need for spare buses elsewhere, officials said.

"We need buses for the spare (bus) ratio for the summer heat," said Ingrid Reisman, a spokeswoman for the Regional Transportation Commission, which oversees the transit system. "There are greater needs in this community than that route."

The route cancellation came as the bus line undergoes an annual summertime rash of breakdowns on its regular routes, spurred in part by hot weather.

As many as 70 buses have been knocked out of service due to heat or mechanical problems on any single day as of late. The system has only 34 spare buses in addition to the 261 buses needed to fill all routes, Reisman said.

Reisman said Route 551 ridership was "OK," though she did not have firm numbers. She cited a lack of promotion for lackluster ridership.

She did not know if the Route 551 shutdown is temporary or permanent. "It is indefinite at this time, but it will be re-evaluated when we get out of the summer season," she said.

Reisman said monorail riders wanting to get downtown can use Strip Route 301, Strip Express Route 302 or Paradise/Swenson Route 108 as alternates.