People Mover

People Mover riders could soon pay more for bus fare under the city's proposed budget plan. To make up for the rising cost of fuel, the plan calls for a $0.25 increase in adult bus fare, bringing it to $2. The monthly pass would cost $60 and reduced fares, currently $0.50, would be replaced with $1 half fares for seniors, those with disabilities, and riders with a Medicare card. Youth would also qualify for the half fare. "With inflation, the cost of doing business goes up. In the case of the transit department, a 25 cent increase for adult fare is proposed," said Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan.

by Channel 2 News staff Monday, January 11, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- People Mover riders will be able to catch the bus next Monday. The City wants to remind riders it is restoring bus service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President's Day. People Mover service was cut last year on three holidays in response to the city's budget shortfall. This year the Anchorage Assembly voted to approve funding for operations on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18 and President's Day, Feb. 15.

There will be People Mover bus service in Anchorage on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Under the original spending plan for 2010, bus service was slated to be cancelled on Friday -- but in April, Anchorage Assembly members put money for bus service on Nov. 26 back into the budget. In his 2011 budget, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan also decided not to cut service on the day after Thanksgiving for next year. Contact Jason Lamb at jlamb@ktuu.com

People Mover buses will stop accepting tokens and older types of day passes on June 11, as Anchorage's public transit system switches to a farebox system based on prepaid fare cards. The new GFI Odyssey fareboxes, which will replace the 18-year-old boxes on People Mover's 52-bus fleet next month, will still accept coins and currency to pay cash fares. They will also sell day passes for immediate use, which will expire at midnight on the date of their issue. New card-based options include single-ride and 20-ride tickets, which will be expended as they are used.

by Ashton Goodell Wednesday, March 17, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- People Mover got the green light to use a new device that would get buses through stop lights faster. The electronic device sends a signal to traffic lights, giving People Mover buses priority at some intersections. It's similar to devices already used on emergency vehicles, but the buses are given a lower priority at traffic signals. The device would only slightly extend a green light or slightly shorten a red light.

People Mover has announced its list of proposed fare increases for next year under Mayor Dan Sullivan's budget plan. The price hikes include an increase from $50 to $55 for an adult monthly bus pass, an increase from $4 to $5 for an adult and youth day pass, and an increase from $32.00 to $38.50 for a youth group summer pass. Proposed bus cuts also include some route cancellations. The Anchorage Assembly can make amendments to the public transportation spending plan, which could change some of the proposed bus fares.

by Christine Kim Friday, July 9, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The number of riders on People Mover is up 6 percent from last year, and some of its buses moving along Anchorage streets have a sleeker look. That's because People Mover is upgrading part of its fleet, swapping out old vehicles for new ones. The last time some of the transit service's buses were upgraded was two years ago, when 18 vehicles replaced ones purchased in 1995. People Mover says it's now time to upgrade another group of buses that's also more than 10 years old. Michelle Brooks is a regular People Mover rider -- so she knows just what to look for in a smooth ride.

People Mover, Anchorage's city-operated bus service, responded Friday to allegations that one of its bus drivers forcibly pushed a passenger off a bus last weekend for no reason. The transit system has already written a letter of apology to the woman over the incident. Laura Kayoukluk started her Friday at City Hall, picking up footage of the Sunday incident from surveillance cameras on board the bus. In the video, Kayoukluk approaches the bus driver to see if she was the same person Kayoukluk believes drove past her twice a few days before without stopping to pick her up. “Remember, I was waiting for the bus -- you took off, I ran across the street and you took off again?

by Lori Tipton Monday, March 15, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A new bus service has rolled out in the Mat-Su Valley. Starting Monday, Valley Mover was officially up and running. The public transit provider has scheduled bus service throughout the Mat-Su Borough from Willow to Wasilla to Palmer. And there is service for commuters to and from Anchorage. Mokie Tew says he and his wife Roberta saw the need for public transit in the Valley so they purchased a dozen buses from People Mover in Anchorage.

by Channel 2 News staff Sunday, January 17, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- People Mover bus service will be running in Anchorage on Monday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Last year, People Mover announced it would eliminate bus service on the holiday to help the city manage its budget shortfall. But last month, the Anchorage Assembly approved additional funding to restore service. Public schools and federal, state and city offices will be closed Monday.

"Yes Virginia, There Is No God" is just one of four messages displayed on Anchorage city buses, following a local atheist's idea to bring an anti-religion advertising campaign to town during the holiday season. People Mover would not release the name of the man who partially funded the campaign but the other donor to the campaign, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, is speaking out. The foundation said Wednesday that it choose sto go where it's wanted -- and its members believe the people of Anchorage want the campaign.

People Mover riders could soon pay more for bus fare under the city's proposed budget plan. To make up for the rising cost of fuel, the plan calls for a $0.25 increase in adult bus fare, bringing it to $2. The monthly pass would cost $60 and reduced fares, currently $0.50, would be replaced with $1 half fares for seniors, those with disabilities, and riders with a Medicare card. Youth would also qualify for the half fare. "With inflation, the cost of doing business goes up. In the case of the transit department, a 25 cent increase for adult fare is proposed," said Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan.

People Mover buses will stop accepting tokens and older types of day passes on June 11, as Anchorage's public transit system switches to a farebox system based on prepaid fare cards. The new GFI Odyssey fareboxes, which will replace the 18-year-old boxes on People Mover's 52-bus fleet next month, will still accept coins and currency to pay cash fares. They will also sell day passes for immediate use, which will expire at midnight on the date of their issue. New card-based options include single-ride and 20-ride tickets, which will be expended as they are used.

People Mover, Anchorage's city-operated bus service, responded Friday to allegations that one of its bus drivers forcibly pushed a passenger off a bus last weekend for no reason. The transit system has already written a letter of apology to the woman over the incident. Laura Kayoukluk started her Friday at City Hall, picking up footage of the Sunday incident from surveillance cameras on board the bus. In the video, Kayoukluk approaches the bus driver to see if she was the same person Kayoukluk believes drove past her twice a few days before without stopping to pick her up. “Remember, I was waiting for the bus -- you took off, I ran across the street and you took off again?

Bean's Café, the volunteer shelter and kitchen for Anchorage's homeless and hungry, said it served hundreds fewer than anticipated on Thanksgiving. Jim Crockett, executive director, said Friday that roughly 800 people showed up for a holiday dinner. Bean's was preparing for 1,500 or more Thursday. Crockett said the snowy weather likely prevented many people from getting to the café, which is located downtown. People Mover public buses were not running because of the holiday.

The Anchorage Assembly is set to consider a host of issues at its meeting Tuesday night, ranging from dissolving the city-owned utility’s board of directors to equipping more city buses with traffic-light controllers like those used by emergency vehicles. Two of the ordinances scheduled for a vote Tuesday deal with Municipal Light & Power, after claims by Alaska Native corporation Cook Inlet Region, Inc. that ML&P’s board of directors was ignoring CIRI’s proposed Fire Island Wind Project.

There will be People Mover bus service in Anchorage on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Under the original spending plan for 2010, bus service was slated to be cancelled on Friday -- but in April, Anchorage Assembly members put money for bus service on Nov. 26 back into the budget. In his 2011 budget, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan also decided not to cut service on the day after Thanksgiving for next year. Contact Jason Lamb at jlamb@ktuu.com

People Mover has announced its list of proposed fare increases for next year under Mayor Dan Sullivan's budget plan. The price hikes include an increase from $50 to $55 for an adult monthly bus pass, an increase from $4 to $5 for an adult and youth day pass, and an increase from $32.00 to $38.50 for a youth group summer pass. Proposed bus cuts also include some route cancellations. The Anchorage Assembly can make amendments to the public transportation spending plan, which could change some of the proposed bus fares.

Slick streets are being blamed for an accident Wednesday, in which a People Mover bus slid off the road near Northern Lights Boulevard and UAA drive. The bus slid down a small hill and rear-ended a pickup truck, then went into the median. One person in the pickup truck was injured and taken to the hospital. “We were coming down the hill on a bus and it's a little slicker than the driver realized, and he slid partway down the hill and managed to try to take evasive action, and ended up rear-ending the vehicle in front of him and ended up on the median there,” said People Mover’s Gary Taylor.

by Christine Kim Friday, July 9, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The number of riders on People Mover is up 6 percent from last year, and some of its buses moving along Anchorage streets have a sleeker look. That's because People Mover is upgrading part of its fleet, swapping out old vehicles for new ones. The last time some of the transit service's buses were upgraded was two years ago, when 18 vehicles replaced ones purchased in 1995. People Mover says it's now time to upgrade another group of buses that's also more than 10 years old. Michelle Brooks is a regular People Mover rider -- so she knows just what to look for in a smooth ride.