Transit agencies work to improve Valley service

MAT-SU — As the fastest growing area of Southcentral Alaska, the Valley swelled by 50 percent over the past decade to nearly 90,000 residents — and they all have places to go.

Thanks to a newly forged partnership between the Valley’s two largest mass transportation providers, local residents will soon have more options for getting from Point A to Point B.

With the continuing development of the Mat-Su as a regional economic hub and bedroom community for the Anchorage business sector, demand for public transportation has paced local growth. For years, Matanuska-Susitna Community Transit (MASCOT) has provided this service within the Valley — mainly between Palmer and Wasilla — along with limited service to and from Anchorage.

That demand for bus routes between the Valley and Anchorage prompted local businessman Mokie Tew to establish Valley Mover. For the past 14 months, the company’s distinctive pink and white buses have operated daily routes from the Valley to Anchorage and back. Demand has been so great, in fact, that Valley Mover’s buses are already at capacity and the business is considering increasing the frequency of its routes during peak times, said Robbie Wuitschick, the company’s executive director.

“We have come a long way with mass transportation,” Wuitschick said. “We have only been here 14 months, but our buses have reached capacity and it’s very exciting to see.”

Customer demand for more service between Wasilla and Palmer in the Valley, along with brisk service to and from Anchorage, has prompted MASCOT and Valley Movers to collaborate. Starting July 5, MASCOT will no longer provide service to Anchorage; rather, it will beef up its local Valley service and provide buses to Palmer and Wasilla park-and-ride locations so riders can catch Valley Mover buses to Anchorage.

The partnership is one that benefits both organizations, said Charolett Robinson, executive director for MASCOT.

“We now have two services going into Anchorage and we really only need one,” she said. “Giving Valley Mover the opportunity to take care of that connection allows us to focus more in the Valley.”

That focus will include a new route in Wasilla with a connection at Walmart. That connection will allow for a more direct connection for travelers going between Palmer and Wasilla, she said.

“We have that now, but it’s all spread out and it takes too long to get from one destination to another in the Valley,” said Robinson, who began her job at MASCOT in February and brings nearly 20 years of transportation experience with her. “Basically, this is going to shorten their travel time. They won’t have to stay on the bus for a complete loop to get where they want to go. We hope everybody finds it a lot more convenient.”

That convenience is what also motivates Valley Mover, Wuitschick said. Along with becoming the main Valley-to-Anchorage bus service, Valley Mover has also worked out a deal with the Anchorage service, People Mover. Buses to and from the Valley will go to and from the city’s main People Mover Transit Center downtown.

“That’s a big thing for us,” Wuitschick said. “We just got the OK from People Mover. We have to give up the stop on the corner of 7th and C, but there’s no passenger shelter there. Now, we can pull into the Transit Center at 6th and H. It’s a nice center with bathroom facilities.”

It also makes it much easier for Valley Mover riders to connect to People Mover and get around Anchorage, she said. Another stop has also been added at Northway Mall.

“That is one reason we wanted that, because so many of our clients have to get off and walk a couple blocks to get to People Mover,” she said. “Now, they can get off our bus and get right onto People Mover.”

Valley Mover currently runs 10 round-trips a day to Anchorage, running on the hour. But that may change during peak hours if buses continue to be as packed as they have been recently, Wuitschick said. The commuter is considering running every 30 minutes during peak hours.

Commuters going to and from Anchorage aren’t the only ones who will notice more convenience using public transportation, Robinson said. New MASCOT schedules are being finalized and should be out by next week, but will include early morning service to park-and-rides along with the Walmart stop to connect those going east and west across the Valley.

“After we complete that early a.m. commute, the drivers will do circular routes and the Wasilla route will go all the way up to Three Bears, making stops all along the way at various locations.”

That the two services have found a way to collaborate to compliment each other —instead of compete — benefits Valley residents, Robinson said.

“I believe there is room for the two services, and what we are doing right now is trying to work together so all the services will compliment each other,” she said. “We’re partnering with Valley Mover to get people from their homes and our different stops to either the Trunk Road or Fred Meyer park-and-rides to get everybody where they need to be much faster. I think the message is we’re moving in the right direction to provide some coordinated transportation. The Valley is growing so much we need to work together to provide the best solution we can. This is only the first step.”

Future steps for MASCOT include possible connections to Chickaloon and talking with the folks at Sunshine Transit in Talkeetna. Eventually, Robinson said she would like to see anyone from those areas to have convenience, easy access to MASCOT and Valley Mover to connect to Anchorage.

“The options are limitless,” she said.

For now, MASCOT and Valley Mover will keep their own fee schedules with the easiest way for riders to take advantage of the connections to purchase passes from both. Depending on client demand, the agencies may also consider working out a combine pass, Wuitschick said.

“This is such a good thing for everyone involved,” she said. “MASCOT is going to be picking up more clients within the Valley. They’re already doing a Knik-Goose Bay run and we’re working with Job Corps to bring people here from Anchorage.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

ON THE MOVE

For more information about MASCOT and Valley Mover schedules and fees, contact:

• MASCOT: Call (907) 864-5000, or visit matsutransit.com.

• Valley Mover: Call (907) 892-8800, or visit valleymover.org.