Tucson Mayor's Sun Tran Route Optimization Ordinance Adjusts Bus Service for South Tucson Riders

The Tucson City Council approved the Sun Tran Route Optimization Ordinance on June 30. It directs the transit agency to reroute several existing lines and launch three new ones focused on south Tucson. The changes affect riders who travel between downtown stops and residential areas south of Interstate 10.

City budget documents show the move responds to ridership data collected through March. Those figures indicated rising demand in neighborhoods near the University of Arizona's south campus and along Sixth Avenue. The ordinance reallocates existing operating funds rather than adding new taxes or fees.

Effects on Daily Travel Patterns

Residents who rely on buses for work commutes will see altered schedules. Route 11, which currently runs from downtown to the airport, will extend two miles farther south to serve the Sunnyside neighborhood. Route 24 will add evening service until 11 p.m. on weekdays, a change that covers shifts at local warehouses near the Port of Tucson industrial area.

Families living near 22nd Street and Park Avenue can expect a new Route 31 that connects directly to the Tucson Mall without transfers. The city projects the route will cut average one-way travel time by 18 minutes for those riders, according to internal Sun Tran modeling released with the ordinance.

The 2026 fiscal year budget already lists $4.2 million for these adjustments. That amount covers additional drivers, fuel and vehicle maintenance for the expanded service, the documents state. No new capital purchases for buses are included in the current allocation.

Implementation begins with a 30-day public comment period that opened July 1. Sun Tran will hold two in-person meetings at the El Pueblo Center on July 22 and July 29. Final schedules will be posted on the agency website by August 10.