VRT launches OnDemand campaign
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Valley Regional Transit launched the VRT OnDemand service in Canyon County on October 1, 2020, just as the pandemic was ramping up. After a slow start, the service is gradually gaining ridership. With more people vaccinated and the economy recovering, VRT is launching a big marketing campaign. You might notice the buses have colorful wraps, and you might be seeing more ads promoting the service. Want to help out? Check out our partner toolkit, available on our website.
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The Boise City Department of Arts and History is teaming up with Valley Regional Transit to put together an Artist Roster for a new project that would put vinyl wraps of art in transit shelters, vehicles, bike racks, and more. Artists selected for the roster will be considered for projects for the next five years. Arts and History is encouraging artists from a wide variety of disciplines to apply. To learn more and to apply, go to https://bit.ly/3vvAuXa. The deadline for applications is July 9, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
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A remembrance – Christine Boyles
We report the passing of Christine Boyles, age 51, the Active Transportation Manager at Boise State University, with sadness. Christine was responsible for the success of the Boise State Shuttle program.
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Sam Patterson, who supervised Christine for several years at Boise State, remembers her this way. "Christine was so passionate about transportation and the team she supervised. She advocated for her staff and wanted to create a legacy with the Boise State shuttles. When thinking about the growth and success over the years, it's hard not to think of Christine Boyles without thinking about the Boise State shuttles and the Blue, Orange, and Gray routes that were so popular before COVID-19." Patterson now heads the Department of Parking and Transportation at the University of Mississippi.
Before joining Boise State, Christine worked for the Ada County Highway District as a Vanpool Operations Technician. "The Ada County Highway District lost an outstanding former team member with Christine's untimely passing," said ACHD Director Bruce Wong. "Her energy, her passion for our mission, her commitment to her teammates, and her unequaled focus on excellence in all she did not only set the highest of ACHD standards but ensured that we were better for her being a member of our team."
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May in Motion virtual ceremony and award pick-up party
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The annual May in Motion ceremony will be happening virtually this year on June 17. Commuteride will be recognizing Treasure Valley businesses for their support of sustainable transportation and the keynote speaker, David DeRosa, will be discussing current and future trends and opportunities in transportation and mobility.
On June 24, Commuteride will be hosting an award pick-up party at Julia Davis Park. Come grab your award and enjoy a boxed lunch from Certified Kitchen + Bakery and celebrate another successful May in Motion!
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ParkMobile facing class-action lawsuit after data breach
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A ParkMobile customer has filed suit in a Georgia federal court over a data breach that impacted 21 million customers nationwide, including 80,000 users in Boise. The company announced the hack at the end of March, which compromised customer email addresses, license plate numbers, phone numbers and vehicle nicknames, if provided by the user. Hackers also breached mailing addresses in “a small percentage of cases”, according to a company spokesman. Encrypted account passwords were stolen during the attack, but not the keys required to read the passwords themselves. The suit hopes to represent anyone in the United States whose personal information was breached in the incident. If the case moves ahead and ParkMobile reaches a settlement, customers impacted will have an opportunity to claim some compensation if the court decides it is appropriate. No action is needed to join the suit.
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The number of bike commuters is up by 61% since 2000
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The number of regular bike commuters in the U.S. increased by 61% between 2000 and 2019. But before cyclists celebrate the dawning of a new golden age in safe streets, it should be noted that bike commuting actually peaked in 2014 and has been declining ever since. No data is available yet for 2020, due to the pandemic, but it will be interesting to see if the COVID-era bike boom reversed this downward trend.
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What safety measures are happening across shared transportation?
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Valley Regional Transit:
- Drivers and riders are required to wear masks until September 13th.
- Every in-service bus is cleaned and disinfected every night.
- Cleaning crews are paying special attention to frequently touched areas, like handrails and seat backs, and utilizing foggers to treat the insides of the buses.
- Riders are asked to sit as far apart from other riders as possible.
- Riders are asked not to use public transit if sick or have recently been sick.
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Club Red:
- Drivers and riders are required to wear masks until September 13th.
- Vans are sanitized and are equipped with medical-grade disinfectant.
- Vans may run with as few as 5 passengers for the time being to allow distance between riders.
- Riders are asked to sit as far apart from other riders as possible.
- Riders are asked to practice good hygiene, wash hands, and/or use sanitizer before entering the van.
- If you need a face-covering, please contact Commuteride at 208-345-7665.
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Boise State Bronco Shuttle:
The Boise State Bronco Shuttles are now on summer hours through August 13.
- Only the Blue and Orange routes are running.
- The Blue On-campus route runs Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Orange Downtown route runs Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- There is no weekend or Friday service.
Bronco Shuttle Rules:
- Drivers and riders are required to wear masks until September 13th.
- Riders are responsible for their personal safety.
- No food or drinks allowed on the shuttle.
- No more than 10 passengers are allowed in a shuttle at any time.
- Riders are asked to space themselves out and to not sit on seats with an ‘X’.
- Riders will occasionally be asked to exit and transfer to another shuttle for COVID-19 cleaning protocols.
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How are communities doing around the Valley?
As of June 3, there are 192,630 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state of Idaho. The following is the latest report from Central Health District and Southwest District Health for Ada and Canyon counties. (Data current as of 6/3/21.)
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Confirmed |
Probable |
Combined |
Deaths |
| Ada County |
43,934 |
9,048 |
52,982 |
446 |
| Canyon County |
22,819 |
4,434 |
27,253 |
300 |
| Total |
66,753 |
13,482 |
80,235 |
746 |
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| Number of fully-vaccinated Idaho residents: |
600,070 |
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| Total vaccine doses administered in Idaho: |
1,237,581 |
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Masks are required on all forms of public transportation through September 13th
While Idaho counties and cities are loosening COVID-19 restrictions, by order of the Federal Transit Authority and the Transportation Security Administration, masks are required on all forms of public transportation and in transit facilities, like Main Street Station, through September 13th.
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All Idahoans 12 years of age or older are now eligible for the vaccine
Residents can add their names to the Idaho COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration system to be contacted by an enrolled vaccine provider when an appointment becomes available.
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Rider safety tip of the week:
Steer clear
Social distance is measured as six feet
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