New changes for the VRT and City Go websites
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You may notice some changes to ValleyRegionalTransit.org and CityGoBoise.com. To better serve riders, both sites have upgraded their trip planners to Moovit, an app that can help you plan your trip and provide information on the number of people at station stops and buses. Moovit is part of Umo; the platform Valley Regional Transit and City Go will transition to this fall to integrate fares for buses, vanpools, and parking. Locally, the app will be called City Go Pay. The Moovit app is available in the app stores for your phone.
The other major change taking place on the VRT site is the implementation of a new intelligent transit system. VRT is partnering with ETA to install new equipment to better track the location of buses through ETA’s SPOT app. Installation started on July 28 and should be completed by August 16. Currently, riders use the RouteShout app to track bus locations. During the transition, riders will need to download the SPOT app and keep RouteShout on their phones to track bus locations. As new equipment is installed on buses, they will show up on the SPOT app and drop off RouteShout. The web-based bus tracker may not be showing current information during the transition.
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City Go will be at First Thursday on August 4th
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Save the date! City Go is planning an event with prizes and more! Follow their Instagram for more event details, Tuesday Trivia, and updates about sustainable transportation in Boise and the Treasure Valley.
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ACHD Commuteride awarded $35,000 AARP Community Challenge Grant
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ACHD Commuteride is thrilled to announce it has been selected to receive a 2021 AARP Community Challenge grant. Commuteride intends to use the resources to increase funding for its new Commuteride Workspace Mobility Grant, a program to support transportation and mobility improvements among at least 15 Ada County small businesses and their employees and customers. Applications for the Commuteride Workspace Mobility Grant will be accepted through August 6.
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Valley Regional Transit & COMPASS blood drive is August 4
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Summer is always a tough time for the American Red Cross to recruit blood donors, but this year has been incredibly challenging. There is a critical shortage of blood right now, resulting in delayed surgeries and cancer treatments. You can help by signing up to donate blood during the VRT and COMPASS blood drive.
- When: Wednesday, August 4
- Time: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Where: 700 NE 2nd Street, Meridian
Giving blood is the gift of life. Do your part to ensure the health of your community by reserving a time slot now.
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Idaho Walk Bike Alliance hosting Run/Walk for Safe Streets event August 7
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The Idaho Walk Bike Alliance is hosting its first-ever running/walking event. The family-friendly Annual Run/Walk for Safe Streets has two components; a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and kids’ 1.5K race in Boise, and a virtual race that participants can do wherever they live in Idaho. The Boise race is Saturday, August 7, while participants in the virtual event can run or walk anytime between August 1 and 7. All proceeds go to support the work of the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance.
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ACHD will no longer use blue dye in salt
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The Ada County Highway District maintains thousands of roadway miles during winter operations. Years ago, the highway district started using blue dye in the salt it drops on roads to help the public and their crews identify the roads that have been treated for winter driving. As it turns out, the product used to tint the salt can harm waterways. So ACHD is discontinuing its use.
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Valley Regional Transit is hiring
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Recently Valley Regional Transit was forced to suspend some of its inter-county routes because of a driver shortage. The agency has been able to fill the gap for now but is recruiting additional drivers. There are positions in both Ada and Canyon counties for drivers and mechanics. Drivers start at $17.25 an hour and may be eligible for hiring bonuses up to $2,500 depending on qualifications.
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Commuteride celebrates 50 years with recruitment bonus
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ACHD Commuteride is proud to be part of Ada County Highway District. In honor of ACHD’s 50th anniversary this year, they have increased their rider recruitment bonus to $50! Both the recruiter and the person joining the vanpool will get $50. Send the Participant Agreement to a friend and fill out the Rider Recruitment form yourself and be on your way to your bonus after they’ve been riding 90 days!
If you need help finding a vanpool match, please go to Share the Ride Idaho or contact their team at 208-345-7665 or email Commuteride@achdidaho.org.
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Boise may not be as bike-friendly as we thought
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People for Bikes just released its 2021 City Ratings scores, and Boise didn’t fare so well. The City Ratings scores are a combination of a city’s Network Score and its Community Score. The Network Score, which is worth 80% of the overall City Ratings score, measures the quality of a city’s bicycle network. The Community Score, which is worth 20% of the City Ratings score, measures how people feel about biking in their city. Boise ranks 512 out of 767 U.S. cities rated, with an overall score of just 23, far, far below the number one city, Provincetown, MA at 81.
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PNW e-bike manufacturer unveils a new model
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Seattle-based direct-to-consumer bike retailer Rad Power Bikes launched the RadRover 6 Plus last week. The 6 Plus is the latest version of the company’s flagship bike. It is specifically designed to attract people from the car-centric world who may be reluctant to try electric bikes. It has wide tires, a custom geared hub motor, and hydraulic disc brakes. Rad Power Bikes is riding the COVID-driven wave of electric bike popularity with the help of $150 million in new funding.
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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 July 28, there are 199,516 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 7/26/21.)
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Confirmed |
Probable |
Combined |
Deaths |
| Ada County |
45,473 |
9,421 |
54,894 |
461 |
| Canyon County |
23,666 |
4,604 |
28,270 |
319 |
| Total |
69,139 |
14,025 |
83,164 |
780 |
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| Number of fully-vaccinated Idaho residents: |
690,726 |
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| Total vaccine doses administered in Idaho: |
1,385,194 |
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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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Rider safety tip of the week:
The magic number
Wash your hands for 20 seconds to ensure safety
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