THE TRANSIT Authority
EDITOR NOTE: YAT opened in early April. At the eleventh hour of production for this issue, the Camp Verde Bugle, Camp Verde, AZ, provided BUSRide the basic content of this coverage with permission from Editor Dan Engler and Managing Editor Raquel Hendrickson.
connects Central Arizona
YAT enlisted Apphia Shirley to create the colorful exteriors of the shuttles.
As the system progressed, Morrow worked closely with Bonnaha. “We helped YA Nation in putting its policies and procedures in place, as well as job descriptions; all the details,” Morrow says. “It’s not easy for an agency first starting out, and YA Transit was basically starting with nothing.” From Camp Verde, the northbound route starts on the reservation at the YAN Medical Clinic with stops at Public Works, Social Services, the Administration building and onto Cliff Castle Casino. Shuttle stops at the Camp Verde Post Office run down Main Street to Bear Street, then on the 260 bypass to Goswick Way near the intersection of State Route 260 and Interstate 17. Heading toward Cottonwood, the shuttle makes stops on the Tun Lii reservation area off Cherry Road before heading back across 260 to the Yavapai County court and jail complex. In Cottonwood, stops include Wal-Mart, Safeway plaza, Cottonwood Public Library (which serves as the transfer station), and Verde Valley Medical Center before arriving at the tribal community in Clarkdale. The estimated time from fleet building to fleet building is 42 minutes. The southbound shuttle back to Camp Verde follows the same route in reverse. Each trip is $1.25. There will be 10-day passes and monthly passes available, good for transferring to CAT/Lynx, with purchase stations on the reservation and possibly at Camp Verde Town Hall.
According to Morrow, YA Transit is matching the CAT schedule as close as possible on a route that runs for an hour-and-a-half. The stop at the jail was of particular interest in the wake of controversy over released people trying to get a ride home or endure the so-called “walk of shame.” Bonnaha said Clarkdale Town Manager Gayle Mabery first voiced the idea of a shuttle stop there. Tribal members are the priority of Yavapai-Apache Transit. The first run of the day is dedicated to getting tribal members to work. The last run of the day is to get them back home. However, Bonnaha says YAT will also be working closely with Verde Valley Caregivers to provide rides. YAT says it operates Monday through Friday and will always be closed on tribal holidays. Setting up the routes and coordinating with other systems has been a long and complicated process. Bonnaha expects some trial and error as the system goes online. “There will be adjustments made as we go,” she says. “Transit systems, big and small, have to make adjustments all of the time.” Mills said the YAN could qualify for one more continuation grant. After that, the Bureau of Indian Affairs would pick up the costs of running the transit system.
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