By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Days after the City of Albuquerque’s Transit Department announced that its Christmas Eve Luminaria Bus Tour had been canceled this year, Mayor Tim Keller announced Wednesday that the popular holiday tradition is back on.
In a news release, the administration said Keller directed the city to continue the annual tradition. The city plans to work with employees, neighborhoods and community partners over the next year to find a way to keep the tour while reducing its cost and operational demands. According to the release, the tour served more than 5,000 people a decade ago. Last year, fewer than 600 people rode the buses, bringing the cost to about $341 per rider. “Some traditions are worth fighting for, and Albuquerque’s luminarias bus tour is one of them,” Keller said. “The current tour costs about $341 per rider, so we know the model needs to change. But we’re not going to lose an Albuquerque tradition while we figure out a better way to keep it going.”
During Monday’s City Council meeting, Councilor Joaquín Baca criticized the administration for canceling the tour without telling the Council or most of the neighborhoods that would have been affected. According to the city, the decision came down to low participation, the cost of running the tour and a shortage of transit drivers. Baca welcomed the reversal, telling The Paper’s City Desk, “Sometimes a little pressure from a councilor can save Christmas.”