From Foothill Transit:
Line 690 changes will improve connections to the Azusa Downtown Gold Line Station. Line 690 will end westbound service at Azusa Downtown Gold Line Station, connecting the Montclair Transit Center, Claremont Transit Center, Lone Hill Park & Ride, and the Baseline Park & Ride to the Azusa Downtown Gold Line Station. Line 690 is now a local route, too! Hop on board for the low local fare of $1.25.
For more information, visit www.foothilltransit.org or call 800-RIDE-INFO (800-743-3463).
This is progress, but it falls short. In only provides weekday rush hour service in the peak direction, with no reverse commute., and with little time saving over a parallel local line,and
Foothill Line 187 provides a fully comprehensive service on surface street between the Sierra Madre Villa station but does not serve either Azusa station directly. The nearest Line 187 stops are on Azusa Ave Foothill Blvd. See http://foothilltransit.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/foothill-transit-line-187-20161030.pdf for the Line 187 schedule effective October 30, 2016.
The irony is that Eastbound Express Line 690 takes 61 minutes (5:08 to 6:09) to go from Azusa Ave to Montclair, while Line 187 takes 67 minutes (5:09 to 6:16) to go between these same two locations, thus offering minimal time saving advantage while sacrificing the ability of serving intermediate stops. This is because Line 690 leaves I-210 in San Dimas and runs on surface streets from there to Montclair.
It is obvious that Foothill Transit should reroute Line 187 to serve the Azusa Intermodal Transit Center and Metro station.