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SunLine outlines 22Rides Reimagined22 plan, seeks public feedback; resident urges new North Palm Springs route
Summary
SunLine Transit presented its Rides Reimagined public-engagement process to the Desert Hot Springs City Council, previewing service scenarios and a proposed transit hub and asking residents to complete an English/Spanish survey. Public commenter Alex Cruz urged new direct routes to North Palm Springs and stops at Indian Canyon Drive to connect to intercity carriers.
SunLine Transit on Tuesday told the Desert Hot Springs City Council it is collecting public feedback for “SunLine Rides Reimagined,” a multi-phase effort that will produce service scenarios in May or June and a draft final plan to guide service changes over the next five to six years.
"We're still at the stage where we're collecting public feedback," the SunLine representative said, urging attendees to use a QR code or the paper surveys provided in English and Spanish. The agency described its network and specialized services, saying it carries roughly 3,000,000 riders annually across fixed-route, paratransit (Sundial), microtransit (SunRide) and subsidized taxi vouchers.
The presenter described outreach the agency has already done — on-street surveys, stakeholder meetings and rider counts — and said staff will return to the public in May or June with two service maps for community review. The SunLine representative said the board will then choose a preferred scenario in June or July; a draft final plan will follow for additional public review before staff implements longer-term service changes.
SunLine also previewed a proposed transit hub in Desert Hot Springs intended to support future growth and improve connections along Interstate 10. The presentation stressed trade-offs between concentrating service in dense areas versus providing lifeline coverage in outlying neighborhoods.
At public comment, Alex Cruz, a Cathedral City resident, urged SunLine and local leaders to add direct routes from Desert Hot Springs to North Palm Springs and to create a stop on Indian Canyon Drive that would serve Amtrak, FlixBus and Greyhound travelers. Cruz argued current routes "zigzag" through downtown and that a grid-like alignment with dedicated lines on main streets would reduce travel time and improve transfers.
Council members praised SunLine27s outreach and encouraged residents to complete the survey. No formal action on SunLine service was taken at the meeting; the agency said the survey will remain open about a week after the meeting to allow additional responses.
What happens next: SunLine staff will analyze phase-1 feedback, develop alternative service scenarios and return to the public and the SunLine board in spring/early summer for selection of a preferred scenario, followed by a draft final plan that could inform service changes and funding requests.
