Mayor Keller Keeps Luminaria Bus Tour for Christmas Eve

ALBUQUERQUE — Mayor Tim Keller has directed the City to continue Albuquerque’s annual Luminaria Bus Tour this Christmas Eve, preserving a longstanding holiday tradition while the City works with neighborhoods and community partners on a more sustainable model for future years.

 “Some traditions are worth fighting for, and Albuquerque’s luminarias bus tour is one of them,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “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.”

 ABQ RIDE will operate the tour this Christmas Eve while the City works with employees, neighborhoods and community partners over the coming year to develop an approach that preserves the tradition while reducing costs and operational demands.  Ten years ago, the bus tour was paired down to a shell of what it once was. Originally, it ran throughout the city and serviced over five thousand riders. The need for a refresh of this tradition is clear. Today, the route is simply not fiscally responsible nor is it well attended, only goes to one neighborhood, and is costing nearly $341 per person. 

 The transit department will also begin the process of conducting research, community meetings, surveys and gathering input on the route, walking options, additional areas and in general what would be the most festive for most Burquenos in years to come.

 “Our employees have made this tradition possible for decades, giving up time with their own families on Christmas Eve so Albuquerque families can experience something special,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “We look forward to working with our employees and the community on a model that honors both the tradition and the people who make it possible.”

 The decision also reflects Mayor Keller’s State of the City ask that the city start from a place of abundance when making decisions: honoring both fiscal responsibility and preserving what makes Albuquerque special do not have to be competing priorities. Rather than lose a valued tradition because the current model is no longer sustainable.