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Rider accuses Sun Metro of mismanagement; transit director defends operations and outlines improvements
Summary
At a Mass Transit board meeting, a rider alleged widespread operational and safety failures at Sun Metro; the agency’s director presented data on budget, on‑time performance and fleet replacement and invited formal complaints for follow up.
A retired project manager told the Sun Metro board Tuesday morning that the agency is "broken," urging leadership changes and listing complaints about driver conduct, customer service and bicycle-rack safety. Sun Metro’s director responded with an operational briefing that outlined recent financial and performance improvements and invited affected riders to file formal complaints.
Diego Grijales told the board he had ridden Sun Metro for three years and had documented problems ranging from drivers using cell phones while operating vehicles to buses that he said regularly left bike racks inoperable. “Sun Metro is broken. Sun Metro is failing the citizens of El Paso County,” Grijales said, and he called for replacement of supervisory staff he named in his remarks.
Anthony, Sun Metro’s director, gave an operational update detailing financial and service metrics: he said the fund balance will increase by about $11,000,000 this year, noted large grant-funded bus purchases (about 80% grant-funded) and outlined reductions in overtime and improvements in on-time performance (Sun Metro’s targets in the 90% range). He also said Sun Metro had reduced preventable accidents by 17% and that fleet replacement plans are on track, with the goal that by 2027 the system’s vehicles will meet FTA life-cycle expectations.
Anthony acknowledged a spike in complaints related to the implementation of new scheduling software but said ridership recovered after a November incident and that customer-service response protocols have been strengthened; he asked riders to file complaints so Sun Metro staff can investigate and promised documented follow-up.
Board members thanked staff for efficiency and safety improvements and voted to approve the mass-transit consent agenda and accept the informational update. The presentation drew questions about safety measures, hiring and retention; staff reiterated a commitment to follow up on operational complaints and to report metrics to the board.
