In the mid-1980s, the route structure was changed to form the basis for the system operating today. Express routes were numbered in the 80s and 90s (for example: route 510 serving Scottsdale was originally numbered route 90, which is today assigned to route 90-Dunlap/Cave Creek). Most bus routes inherited a seemingly arbitrary, but chronologically assigned, system from their Phoenix Street Railway heritage (for example, route 0-Central was originally numbered route 5). For example, the western half of Van Buren Street was served by route 3W, and the eastern half of Van Buren Street was served by route 3E. These routes were split in half by Central Avenue, which most routes used to access downtown Phoenix. Previously, the bus system was based on a "hub-and-spoke" structure with most routes starting from downtown Phoenix. Prior to the formation of the RPTA, the bus route structure of Phoenix Transit System was quite different, both in terms of numbering and routes. At this time, Phoenix Transit System and Mesa Sunrunner were rebranded as Valley Metro, and several new routes operating under the RPTA were started. Valley Metro, as an integrated regional transit service, did not begin operations under its own brand identity until 1993, when the RPTA board of directors chose that name, the logo, and color scheme as described below. At the time, almost all transit service in the Phoenix area was operated by Phoenix Transit System, with a few other bus services such as in Mesa (Mesa Sunrunner) and Scottsdale (Scottsdale Connection) having started around 1990. The RPTA was then chartered under the laws of the state of Arizona. The RPTA was formed in 1985 as the result of Phoenix-area voters approving a one-half percent sales tax increase for expansion of the local freeway system, and for expansion of mass transit. Main article: Phoenix, Arizona public transport The city of Phoenix alone operates 73 percent of all Valley Metro routes (several of which also serve suburban cities). Some RPTA funding is used to augment service provided by the member cities (this is expected to increase over the next several years due to a 2004 voter approval of an extension to the original 1985 sales tax for transit funding). A few routes which operate within several member cities have their funding and operations shared between those cities. The RPTA operates a customer service, marketing and long-range transit planning operation from headquarters in downtown Phoenix which is shared among all Valley Metro member cities. Circulator service in Glendale is operated by the city of Glendale directly, the Scottsdale Trolley circulators are contracted by the city of Scottsdale, and intra-city paratransit service in the cities of Glendale and Peoria are operated by the respective cities directly. The two largest operators of bus service are the city of Phoenix and the Regional Public Transportation Authority (operating multi-city routes and services primarily in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Tempe). Each city appoints a representative to the RPTA board of directors, and a chairman, vice chairman, and treasurer are voted on amongst the board members for a one-year term. These cities have agreed to participate in Valley Metro as a unifying brand name to streamline service and reduce confusion among riders. Most services are separately funded and operated by individual cities and suburbs in the greater Phoenix region. Valley Metro is a membership organization. In 2022, the combined bus and rail system had a ridership of 16,625,900, or about 53,300 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2022. Within the system, it is divided between Valley Metro Bus, which runs all bus operations, and Valley Metro Rail, which is responsible for light rail operations in the Valley. The Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority, more popularly known as Valley Metro, is the unified public brand of the regional transit system for the Phoenix metropolitan area.
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