Empty On The Way Up

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Rapid & Express Buses are empty when en route to their currently scheduled point of origin (i.e., northbound I-17 in the morning to Happy Valley Road & I-17 Park n' Ride). We should take advantage of this empty equipment by offering Rapid/Express service to these "reverse routes" and targeted employment centers. For example, the I-17 Rapid Route. The equipment (bus) which originates the first service (@ 5:06am from Happy Valley Road Park n' Ride) is empty as it travels north to begin its "first service" southbound. My suggestion is to fill that equipment with passengers who work along the I-17 corridor. Have the equipment start Central & Van Buren at 4:00am, head west on Van Buren toward I-17, stopping @ 7th Ave., 15th Ave., 19th Ave. to pick up passengers before it gets on I-17 northbound. Then it stops exits @ Camelback, but stays on the northbound frontage road & picks up/drops off passengers who may want to transfer to/from Route 50, it proceeds northbound on I-17. The equipment (bus) stops again at 27th Ave. and West Beardsley Road (a MAJOR employment & transportation hub area with Discover, American Express, PetsMart, JC Lincoln Hospital, Costco, Target, movie theaters, restaurants, offices, retail, hotels, and the I-17 & AZ101 interchange), drops off/picks up passengers who may want to transfer to/from Route 27 (or just walk/bike ride to work). Finally, it proceeds northbound I-17, accessing at Rose Garden Lane (from 27th Ave.) to the Happy Valley Park n' Ride lot where the last commuters exit to walk, ride their bike (or carpool) to USAA, another major employer. Then, it begins its 5:06am southbound leg with commuters to downtown Phoenix. If we identify these major employer and/or transportation hubs for all the Rapid/Express routes and offer "back fill" or "reverse commute" service, add bike racks to the rear of the bus (and possibly side?, safety first), we'll fill a desperate need, get greener, and pull in more ridership and money.