What is SunLine: Rides Reimagined?

SunLine is studying how to improve its bus network to better meet the needs of riders in the Coachella Valley. This includes a system redesign (branded as SunLine: Rides Reimagined) that evaluates how routes, service levels, and stop locations work today and identifies potential changes for the future. As part of this work, SunLine will consider service adjustments and develop new network concepts to inform where, when, and how SunLine operates over the next 5-10 years. 

The SunLine: Rides Reimagined effort includes:

• Assessing current service patterns, ridership, and connections.
• Studying bus stop infrastructure to improve safety and perception.
• Evaluating options for a redesigned route network that could better match where people live, work, and travel.

SunLine: Rides Reimagined focuses on:

• Responding to changing travel patterns, community growth and rider needs. 
• Enhancing access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and everyday destinations. 
• Using limited operational resources to create more reliable and frequent transit where it’s needed most. 
• Ensuring a positive passenger experience.

A future redesigned network would aim to provide: 

• More useful and reliable service for riders — focusing on where riders want to go. 
• Improved connections to key destinations and between routes. 
• A more streamlined and easier-to-navigate network. 
• Efficient use of existing resources to provide better frequency and coverage.

Yes. As part of the redesign, SunLine is reviewing bus stop locations and amenities, including adding, removing, or relocating stops based on safety, spacing, and ridership. The redesign also considers stop infrastructure—such as shade, shelters, and overall accessibility. Fewer stops with stronger amenities can be safer than many stops without protection. Increased bus frequency can also reduce the time spent waiting in high temperatures. If extreme‑weather safety matters to you, please share your experiences and priorities in the survey so we know where improvements are most needed.

In transit planning, “ridership” and “coverage” describe two different ways of designing a network: 

Ridership concentrates service where more people already travel, so buses can come more often and be more reliable. This maximizes the number of people who can use transit effectively. 

Coverage spreads service to reach more neighborhoods and communities, even if it means buses come less frequently. This maximizes the number of places with at least some transit service. 

Both approaches have value. SunLine encourages you to share what matters to you so we can incorporate your needs into our planning.

With current resources—buses, drivers, and funding—there's an unavoidable tradeoff. Every dollar and bus must be allocated carefully, so improving frequency on one route or extending coverage to a specific area may mean we need to reduce services elsewhere. That’s why your input and continued participation in this effort matters.

This study focuses primarily on SunLine's fixed-route service, but we're also looking at: 

• SunRide (our rideshare/on demand microtransit program) 
• SunDial paratransit 
• Connections to regional destinations 
• New mobility options 

If regional connections are important to you, let us know through our survey, at one of our in-person events, or by email.

There are multiple ways to participate, now and throughout the process. You can: 

• Take our survey (available now through February 28, 2026) 
• Attend community events (workshops, pop-ups) in your area—check this webpage for dates 
• Join virtual workshops if you can't attend in person 
• Email us or use the comment box to share your questions or feedback

SunLine is actively soliciting community feedback as part of its planning. Riders and residents can contact the agency via phone (760-343-3456 X1235) to help shape future service options.

SunLine is gathering input to better understand how people travel today and where transit can better support daily trips. Through a community survey and in-person events, we are listening to riders, residents, and visitors about their travel needs, challenges, and priorities. We need your input! Click the link below to take the survey.  

• Take the survey here. Participants will be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card. 

• See upcoming community events 

In this phase, SunLine will work with the community to explore important service tradeoffs and set clear priorities for the transit system. 

 One of the key questions is how to balance ridership and coverage: 

• Ridership: Focusing service where more people already travel can support more frequent, reliable buses, and increase access to opportunities. 

• Coverage: Spreading service more widely can reach more neighborhoods and communities, but often with less frequent service. 

Do you want to learn more about this choice? See here. 

Using existing resources, SunLine will show how the bus network might look under different approaches. These examples will help community members think through what matters most—for themselves and for the region—and share their preferences through surveys and engagement activities. 

Based on community input, SunLine will develop and share several future service scenarios. These will illustrate different ways the transit system could evolve to support changing travel patterns and community needs. SunLine will also present a scenario that shows what the network could look like with additional resources. Community feedback on these scenarios will help refine recommendations and identify priorities for future investment. 

After reviewing community feedback, SunLine will refine the recommended network and prepare a final service plan. This plan will reflect public input and will be presented to the SunLine Board of Directors for consideration and adoption.