There are two low-frequency bus routes in the SacRT system, Route 11 Natomas/Land Park and Route 13 Natomas/Arden. Both routes have a frequency of about 45 minutes, though it varies with time of day.
All other regular bus routes (excluding commuter routes [100 series] and school routes[200 series]) are 30-minute frequency or better.
What do these two routes have in common? They serve north and south Natomas, which are essentially transit deserts. SacRT is still considering spending over a billion dollars for light rail to Natomas and the airport, but can’t come up with the funds to increase these two routes to 30-minute frequency.
These were the only two routes in the 2019 SacRT Forward network revision which were not brought to 30 minute frequency or better. 5-1/2 years later, they still have not been brought to 30-minute moderate frequency.
STAR was a strong proponent of all routes being 30-minute of better, and Jarrett Walker Associates therefore recommended that as many routes as possible be 30-minute or better. The hourly routes were eliminated or enhanced, but these two low-frequency routes were not.
STAR believes that now is the time to bring service to North and South Natomas to 30-minute moderate frequency, and to make the entire system 30-minutes or better.
For these two routes, it is a chicken-and-egg situation. With their low frequency, they will never gain enough ridership, and without enough ridership, they will languish, and likely be the cut in any future service cuts. Riders in Natomas deserve better.
SacRT staff said that Route 11 would be increased to 30-minute service when the Green Line is closed for installation of the light rail station in the Railroad District. It is unknown when that project will take place.

I’ve expressed at other times a big desire for SacRT to move away from 45-minute frequency.
Other routes change to a 45-minute frequency on Saturdays and Sundays and that gets confusing. 21 and 25 operate every 45 minutes on Saturdays and 23 on Sundays.
82 and 87 also have that confusing 45-minute frequency despite being among SacRT’s most used routes.
A 30-minute frequency is so much easier to remember and say. Simply saying every hour at X:17 and X:47 works for memorizing when 26 leaves the University/65th Station. Not as easy with X:03, X:48, (X+1):33 as 45-minute frequency.
I was spoiled back east by 15 and 20-minute frequencies, 4 buses each hour or 3.
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