|
AC Transit to cut at least 15 percent of bus service
Contra Costa Times
AC Transit is facing a projected $57 million deficit after cuts in the state budget and significant reductions in sales and property tax receipts, and will cut at least 15 percent of its bus service, transit officials said ... Over the next two years, the transit district is expected to suffer significant declines in its main revenue sources. There has been a steady decline in revenue from sales taxes, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision to cut state transit assistance funding for the next five years, redirecting more than $100 million that could be used to keep bus services intact, has made things worse, transit officials said. Already the district has laid off employees, frozen positions, increased fares and reduced departmental spending by 15 percent.
Read More >>>
SamTrans Considers Raising Fares, Cutting Service, Eliminating Lines
SF Streetsblog
SamTrans - the buses and paratransit vehicles that run the length of El Camino Real between Palo Alto and Daly City, traverse the Santa Cruz mountains, and service San Francisco's financial district - is preparing to raise fares and reduce service on some bus lines and eliminate other lines in order to close a $28.4 million budget gap. To achieve 15 percent savings Harvey proposed: reducing service on up to 22 lines and eliminating 17 lines; increasing adult, youth, and discounted fares by 25 cents or more; and eliminating the 15 percent discount on the SamTrans pass with the purchase of a Muni sticker. "It is indeed a cruel twist of fate that brings us here today," said Board of Directors Chairwoman Zoe Kersteen-Tucker. "More than ever, we need to reduce our dependence on cars, yet we are facing a significant crushing deficit, and we cannot look to the state to help us out at least for the next four years." The transit agency's budget problem has been compounded by the loss of $39.2 million from the State Transit Assistance fund, which was gutted by Governor Schwarzenegger and the Legislature.
Read More >>>
Sacramento-area transit makes cuts as revenue falls
Sacramento Bee
Riders on the blue and gold Regional Transit fleet will begin paying one of the steepest in-city fares in the state, $2.50 per ride. And forget about a transfer slip; it's been eliminated ...This week's moves by two of Sacramento's major commute carriers are clear signs: Transit in California is in trouble. The cutbacks have exposed the state's transit financing system as a flawed patchwork, prompting calls for change...The core of the problem, said transit advocates and critics alike, is that bus and light-rail fares alone do not come anywhere near paying for the cost of transit service. Federal, state and local governments make up the difference by tapping gas pump taxes, local sales taxes and offering grants.
Read More >>>
Reduced service on bus routes proposed
San Diego Union Tribune
Grappling with a sharp drop in state funding, the agency's board will consider the recommendation during a hearing Tuesday at district headquarters ... District managers propose reducing weekday or weekend service on some routes, while modifying others. The possible cutbacks are among a range of measures taken by NCTD within the last year to address plummeting revenues, spurred by state funding reductions and a decline in ridership. North County Transit has imposed layoffs, raised fares and is looking at outsourcing some bus operations.
Read More >>>
Caltrain to cut service, hike parking fees Monday
San Mateo County Times
Midday Caltrain riders will have to wait up to 30 minutes longer for their trains starting Monday — and the price to park at stations will also grow by 50 percent. Caltrain will eliminate eight midday weekday trains, four in each direction, a change that the agency's board of directors authorized in July ... The agency's 98-train schedule will drop 8 percent to 90 trains per day. Officials expect the service reductions to result in about 100,000 fewer trips annually, and will save the agency $1.93 million per year.
Read More >>>
Transit agency urged to keep bus service in county's core
Orange County Register
As the county's transportation agency plans further cuts in bus service, at least one board member says routes that serve the county's central core need to be preserved...“Where do you see empty buses?" (Anaheim Mayor Curt) Pringle asked in response to a comment by fellow OCTA board member and Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach. Some routes have "15,000 to 16,000 boardings a day – that's a lot of ridership," Pringle said. Moorlach has questioned whether the OCTA should even offer bus service, given a big drop in state funding.
Read More >>>
Benicia fears likely merger of bus systems
Contra Costa Times
With a decision over whether to merge bus systems with Vallejo looming, Benicia officials are facing a disadvantage. They may not have a choice but to give up local transit control, if they want to avoid major service cuts. "It feels like this is being forced on us," Benicia City Councilman Alan Schwartzman said about the proposed merger of Benicia Breeze and Vallejo Transit. Benicia, however, faces a problem many small suburbs face — rising costs, more required paper shuffling and declining revenues are driving small transit systems out of business.
Read More >>>
|
