SunLine unveils 18-month ‘Rise Reimagined’ transit review and community outreach

SunLine officials briefed the Indian Wells City Council on "SunLine Rise Reimagined," an 18‑month comprehensive operational analysis and community engagement program that will solicit rider feedback, test service alternatives and return recommendations to the SunLine board.

Luis Garcia, SunLine chief financial officer, described the outreach as the "first part of that process," noting the effort will include multiple public‑engagement periods, in‑market intercepts, online and paper surveys in English and Spanish, virtual and in‑person meetings, and targeted outreach at bus stops to reach current riders. He said the region averages about "3,000,000 rides each year." Garcia added the agency will examine tradeoffs between maximizing ridership and providing broader coverage and is seeking broad public participation, including incentives (gift-card drawings of $50 and $100).

SunLine outlined service modes under review — fixed route (SunBus), paratransit (Sundial), microtransit (on‑demand zones similar to TNC services) and a commuter link to San Bernardino — and noted the agency’s taxi voucher program (subsidies for qualifying seniors and disabled riders) as part of its service mix.

Council members asked about survey weighting and whether nonriders’ views would be distinguished from rider feedback; SunLine said it will collect both rider and nonrider responses and apply weighting to reflect usage patterns. The presentation concluded with an invitation to participate (QR code and paper copies of the survey) and a note that results will be reported back to the public and board as the analysis proceeds.

No council action was required; the briefing was received for information.