NCTD - News & Service Changes

[nickv]

NCTD faces $4 million shortfall in revenue



Uh-oh... ... ...

That could mean even more service cuts if NCTD can't find sources of revenue. NCTD blames the shortfall from declining sales tax revenue due to the economy.

Ever since I started studying both the NCTD and San Diego MTS systems a few years ago, I've noticed that service cuts and fare increases have now become a regular trend for both these agencies due to budget holes.

NCTD suggestions included the possible elimination of Sunday service on Breeze buses (BAD IDEA), and changing the hours and frequency of the soon-to-start Sprinter commuter trains, now scheduled to run every half hour from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m M-F.

Their bus ridership was down 3% due to service cuts.

Comments anyone?

NCTD Board of Directors:

Member of Governance Committee:
Councilman Ed Gallo
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Member of Planning Commitee:
Councilman Dave Roberts
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Member of Planning Commitee:
Councilwoman Julianne Nygaard
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Member of Monitoring Committee:
Councilman David Druker
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Member of Planning Committee:
Councilman Jerome Stocks
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Member of Monitoring Commitee:
Councilman Rocky Chavez
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Member of Monitoring Commitee:
Councilman Chris Orlando
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone] ext. 3105

Member of Planning Commitee:
Councilman Bob Campbell
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone] ext. 1432

Member of Monitoring Commitee:
Supervisor Bill Horn
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

NCTD Executive Director:
Karen King
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

NCTD General Counsel:
C. Michael Cowett
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

Clerk of the Board:
Jill McNaughton
e-mail: [e-mail]
phone: [phone]

...................

NCTD Customer Service

Phone:
[phone] (Mon-Fri, 8:00am - 5:00pm)

Fax:
[phone]

Mail:
North County Transit District
Attn: Customer Service
810 Mission Avenue
Oceanside, CA 92054

E-mail: [e-mail]

[nickv]

NCTD Web Site will be Out of Service next Weekend.

Due to a planned power outage, Gonctd.com will not be available from Friday, April 4 at 6 pm to Sunday, April 6 in the afternoon. The District thanks you in advance for your patience.

Also, San Diego MTS Web site is also scheduled to be out of service during the same time period.

[nickv]

ACTION ALERT - Big Budget Troubles for NCTD
Major service cuts affecting many passengers are anticipated

OCEANSIDE, Calif.; 4/17/2008


TTC - Getting Southern California Moving
Many roads in NCTD's service area are congested during
rush hours and weekends. 12 million people board NCTD
buses and trains each year. Problems with the spillover
fund and declining sales tax revenues are causing
trouble for NCTD's budget.

This is no joke... Although most of us don't live or work down in northern San Diego County, lots of transit-dependent people live out there. Major transit projects are already in development including the I-15 BRT project, the NCTD Route 350 BRT project, and a number of TOD projects are planned along the Sprinter Corridor. The area needs more local and feeder routes, not less.

What would you do to better fund your transit agency using local funds without cutting service? Vote here.

The Transit Coalition and the Transit Alliance for a better North County (TABNC) would appreciate any help, support letters, and donations. Follow this link to the TABNC Web site and then click on the "Take Action" for a list of contacts.

....................................

North County Transit District (NCTD) is working to solve many issues involving its fiscal year 2009 budget which must be approved by June in order to take effect on July 1, 2008. The month’s long effort to craft a new operating budget and plan a 5-year capital budget must also be presented to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Transportation Committee subsequent to NCTD Board of Directors approval. In accordance with state funding sources, the final NCTD operating budget must be balanced and contain no deficit spending.

Due to several converging factors, the budget picture for NCTD as well as the state’s transit industry is getting worse by the day. State economic conditions and projected revenues dedicated to transit funding are dwindling due to declining sales tax revenues. Another source of concern regarding revenues is how much the state government in Sacramento will take from transportation accounts this year to solve their widening budget gap. In past years the state has balanced their budgets by tapping funds originally designated for improving transportation infrastructure and operations. Due to reoccurring budget diversions by the state, NCTD and other transportation agencies have been thrown into annual tail spins when Sacramento finally passes a budget. This creates an environment of uncertainty for NCTD’s 12 million annual passengers, its modes of transit including buses, commuter rail, ADA mandated service and its new light rail system.

Since 2001, nearly $3 billion has been taken from the public transit account and transferred to the state’s general fund. This funding loss translates to tens of millions in lost revenue for NCTD operating and capital accounts. Last year the state acted to permanently divert 50% of the state’s “spillover” account to non-transit purposes. The “spillover” account was designed to capture excess gasoline taxes collected when gas prices are abnormally high and funnel them to transit agencies to be used to provide better service to the public and cover their higher costs of fuel – the exact situation that exists today. Due to rising fuel prices over the past five years, eleven percent of NCTD’s operating budget is now dedicated to fuel, yet this year half of the “spillover” will be shifted to the state general fund to be used for non-transit purposes. In one year the price of a gallon of fuel for the transit district has risen from $2 to $3.44 a gallon before fuel taxes. Each ten cent increase in fuel costs NCTD $280,000 a year in additional funds.

Public transit can and should be part of the solution for greenhouse gas reduction in California. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), an individual switching to public transit can reduce their yearly carbon emissions by 4,800 pounds. Last year in April, Newsweek magazine featured California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on its cover as a leading “green” proponent ready to push California to take the lead on global warming issues. Yet, funding sources specifically put in place to support public transit in California have been gutted by the environmental governor and the state legislature.

Due to higher operating costs and less certain revenue sources, NCTD is faced with budget cuts in the form of severe service reductions and must also raise fares which will hurt many passengers. All this comes at a time when consumers are feeling the effects of an economic slowdown and are looking for alternatives to driving their automobiles and doing their part to save the planet.

NCTD Chairman Ed Gallo is concerned about the annual budget and says, “the Governor’s revised budget is due May 15 and public transit agencies across the state can only hold their collective breath. They must not divert any more from transit to the general fund.” Gallo adds, “At a time when NCTD needs to create more transit options for the public, we are forced into reductions of service, thanks in part to the state’s annual diversion of our promised funds.”

For complete trip planning information via public transit in San Diego County call toll free, 511, or plan your trip on-line at: transit.511sd.com. Complete COASTER, SPRINTER and BREEZE schedules are available on NCTD's website at www.gonctd.com.

NCTD moves more than 12 million passengers annually by providing public transportation for North San Diego County. Its family of transit services currently includes the BREEZE bus system, the COASTER commuter rail service, FAST curb-to-curb transportation, LIFT paratransit and the SPRINTER light rail. It is NCTD’s mission to deliver safe, convenient, reliable and user-friendly public transportation services.

Source: NCTD Press Release

[nickv]

ACTION ALERT - NCTD Proposes Canceling Nearly 30% of its Bus Routes
Public Hearing 5/15 - Summary of Proposed NCTD Cuts

Public Hearing: May 15, 2008, 2 p.m.
Service Cuts Effective: 8/2008 or 1/2009.

(EDIT: The public hearing date was changed to May 12th.)


A NCTD BREEZE bus waits at the Escondido TC for its next run.
Huge budget problems including declining sales tax revenue, increasing
gas prices, and political issues relative to the state's fuel tax spillover
fund have caused big headaches for NCTD staff. Almost 30% (28.6%
to be exact) of all of the NCTD bus routes are proposed to be canceled.
No fare hikes are published with this public hearing notice.
Photo courtesy of the-bus-stops-here.org.

Click here to view the public meeting details.

...........................................

ACTION ALERT

• What would you do to better fund your transit agency using local funds without cutting service? Vote here.
  
  
• The Transit Coalition and the Transit Alliance for a better North County (TABNC) would appreciate any help, letters, and donations. Follow this link to the TABNC Web site and then click on the "Take Action" for a list of contacts.
  
  
• Talk employers, general managers, professionals, etc to write letters. The letters need to address the problems that will come about should these cuts become a reality. The letters also need to provide NCTD with alternatives to better balance their budget such as increasing the fare evasion fine. Heavy service cuts will leave several transit-dependent riders without transportation to their jobs, shopping, appointments, and other needs.
  
  Here are some budget balancing suggestions worth pointing out:
  
  • Transfer 'low ridership' lines to a muni operator, the cities, or a contracted operator. Hospitals, colleges, casinos, or other establishments may even be able to provide both the replacement service and paid/volunteer bus drivers. Establish a transfer agreement and continue to publish these routes in the bus book for marketing. This will lower expesnes, yet the riders will still have their bus available in their communities.
    
    
  • Routes that perform poorly need to be addressed to the cities/communites via town hall meetings. Modest improvements (eg. timed transfers, better bus stop placement, consistent span of service) can increase the ridership, thus increasing the farebox recovery ratio.
    
    
  • Propose having NCTD increase the COASTER and SPRINTER fare evasion fine to offset fare evasion losses.
    
    
  • NCTD should also use the 30 foot buses or the smaller vans (used for FAST and LIFT) for routes with lower ridership instead of a full 40 foot bus to reduce equipment costs. Many shuttles and circulators use 40 foot buses which inflates expenses.
    
    
  • Developers in the NCTD area (esp. along the SPRINTER and COASTER corridor) need to pay their 2 cents to fund better bus and train service in the area.
    
    
  • NCTD should also brand some of the "unique" bus routes to increase awareness, boost ridership, and therefore increase farebox recovery. Eg. Route 386 can be branded something like the "Ramona Roadrunner" and Route 388 can be branded something like "Valley Center Coach". Route 308 can be the "Del Mar Beach Bus".
    
  
  
  
• Routes to be eliminated include (Detailed in RED): 365, 397, 341/342, 324, 348/349, 347, 311/312, 338/339, 415, 447 and 403. Route 386, which runs between Escondido and Ramona, will stop at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, severing that community's one remaining link to public transportation.
  
  
• The district also proposes eliminating Saturday, Sunday and holiday service on routes (Detailed in RED) 313, 325, 358/359 and running only 60-minute service for weekends and holidays on routes 351 and 352.
  
  
• Routes 101, 308, 309, 313, 350, 351/352, 354, 356, and 358/359 (Detailed in BROWN) will reduce their level of Saturday service, adopting a Sunday schedule. For some routes, that will mean fewer early morning and late night trips. For others, it will mean cutting the frequency of trips from once every half-hour to once every hour.
  

..........................................

• On May 15, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. the North
  County Transit District (NCTD) Board will hold
  a Public Hearing to hear public comment
  about its proposed service reductions for
  BREEZE fixed-route buses and FAST dial-aride
  service, effective August, 2008 or
  January, 2009. The public hearing will be held
  in San Marcos City Council Chambers at 1
  Civic Center Drive, served by bus routes 305,
  341, 347, 447, and the SPRINTER.
  
  
• How to Comment about the Service Change:
  You may address the Board at the public
  hearing or write to NCTD, ATTN: BREEZE/
  FAST Service Changes, 810 Mission Avenue,
  Oceanside, CA 92054; fax to [phone]
  (with the subject line “BREEZE/FAST Service
  Changes”); or email [e-mail].
  You may also call NCTD’s Customer Service
  Department at 760-966-6500 (8 a.m. to 5
  p.m. weekdays) with your comment.
  Comments should be received no later than
  May 15, 2008 at 2 p.m.
  

..........................................

SPRINTER (LRT)
Oceanside - Vista - San Marcos - Escondido
Weekend Upgrade: Increase frequecy from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

FAST Encinitas, Fallbrook, Ramona and Vista. (On Demand Transit)
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Service.

Route 101 (Local Route)
Oceanside TC - San Diego UTC
Saturdays: Cancel the 5:55AM and the 6:20AM northbound trips. Cancel the 9:33PM southbound trip.

Route 308 (Regional Route)
Escondido TC - Solana Beach
Saturdays: Cancel the first and last trips of the day in each direction.

Route 309 (Local Route)
Oceanside Town Center North - Encinitas Coaster Station
Saturdays: Use the Sunday Schedule (No major changes to frequency or span of service).

Route 308 (Regional Route)
Escondido TC - Solana Beach
Saturdays: Cancel the first and last trips of the day in each direction.

Route 311/312 (Circulator, Oceanside TC Feeder)
West Oceanside Circulator
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Line

Route 313 (Local Route)
San Luis Rey TC - Oceanside TC
Weekends: Cancel weekend service or...
Saturdays: Cancel the first trip and the last two trips of the day in each direction.

Route 324 (Local Route)
Costa Serena - Carlsbad Coaster Station
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Line

Route 325 (Community Route)
Oceanside Town Center North - Carlsbad Coaster Station
Weekends: Cancel Weekend Service

Route 338/339 (Community Route)
Vista TC - Tri City Medical Center
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Line

Route 341/342 (Local Route)
Cal State San Marcos - Palomar College
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Line

Route 348/349 (Circulator, Sprinter Feeder)
Southwest Escondido Circulator
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Line

Route 347 (Community Route)
Escondido - Palomar College
Weekdays/Saturdays: Cancel Line

Route 350 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - North County Fair Mall
Saturdays: Use the Sunday Schedule. This will cause the service to start up later in the day at 7:03 AM instead of 5:33 AM.

Route 351/352 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - Valley Pkwy & Washington
Saturdays: Use the Sunday Schedule. This will cause the service to start up later in the day. Reduce frequency to every 60 minutes.

Route 358/359 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - Escondido Country Club
Weekends: Cancel Weekend Service.

Route 365 (Community Route)
Encinitas Coaster Station - Forum
Weekdays: Cancel Line.

Route 386 (Regional Route)
Escondido TC - Ramona via HWY 78
Weekdays/Weekends: Cancel weekend service. Cancel Line east of SD Wild Animal Park.

Route 397 (Regional Route)
Fallbrook - Camp Pendleton - Oceanside TC
Weekdays: Cancel Line.

Route 403 (School Tripper)
El Camino High School
Weekdays: Cancel Line

Route 415 (Coaster Feeder Shuttle)
Oceanside TC - Oceanside Industrial Center
Weekdays: Cancel Line

Route 447 (Sprinter Feeder Shuttle)
Palomar College TC - Rex Industries
Weekdays: Cancel Line

[nickv]

Comments on proposed NCTD service changes:

I submitted these comments to NCTD and Mr. Bart Reed has also submitted these comments on TTC Letterhead. Below is what was submitted (I will replace my letter below with the TTC letter soon):

Follow this link to view the service change proposals: Proposed Service Reductions
.................................................

May 9, 2008

Breeze/Fast Service Changes
810 Mission Avenue
Oceanside, CA 92054

Re: NCTD Proposed Service Reductions
Statements on Proposed Service Changes (August 2008 and January 2009)

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing in regards to the proposed service changes to be implemented in August 2008 and January 2009. I recognize the needs of transit agencies to obtain sufficient funding in order to operate transit service. However, I have several reservations to the excessive proposed service reductions. I also have suggestions that could help increase income and/or reduce expenses for the transit district. Please consider the following:

First, because of the declining value of the dollar and economic inflation, it is a wise business choice to modestly increase system-wide fares to offset the increasing costs. Therefore, I do not object to a modest fare increase.

Secondly, because major development and redevelopment projects are planned for several areas in the NCTD service area, it would be appropriate and wise to approach and lobby to the local planning departments and cities for both road and transit improvement fees to be paid from developers. Any developer applying for a building permit should contribute their fair share to NCTD to keep the neighboring bus and train routes in good financial standing.

Also, many NCTD routes and/or service runs with lower ridership figures use a full 40 foot bus which generates excessive operating expenses. Investing in 30 foot or smaller buses for routes or service runs with lower ridership can greatly lower operating and maintenance costs in the long term.

Also, money which is lost from COASTER or SPRINTER fare evasion can be offset by raising the fare evasion fine and having station security guards help the contracted fare inspectors inspect tickets and write up citations.

Finally, bus routes with lower performance levels at NCTD are not necessarily perceived as poor routes as if they were run by the local city or community, or a private or public municipal operator. They help senior citizens get to the doctor. They help students get to school. They help workers get to jobs. Strategically, if these routes are eliminated from the system, the NCTD service area is left with big gaps in its bus system, hurting the community's mobility.

I have submitted the following written comments to each of the members of the Board of Directors regarding the proposed August and January service reductions, potentially affecting nearly 30% of all NCTD bus routes directly and all of their connecting routes.

Route 101:
Adopting the Sunday schedule would cancel the 5:55AM and the 6:20AM northbound trips and cancel the 9:33PM southbound trip on Saturdays along one of NCTD's more productive bus routes and busy corridors. I therefore object to this proposal. I also request advising San Diego MTS so that they will be allowed to comment, since their bus routes in the UTC area would be left without these Route 101 connections if this proposal was to be implemented. Developers along the Coast Highway corridor should help provide extra funding for this route via developer fees. I suggest NCTD staff work with the Cities of Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Diego, and Encinitas.

Route 308:
I oppose this proposal. I suggest working with the City of San Diego and Escondido to provide better local funding for this route that connects Escondido to Solana Beach. Developers in the Downtown Escondido area and along the Route 308 corridor should provide partial funding for this route. Smaller equipment can also be used during off-peak and off-season travel times to reduce operating costs.

Route 309:
Adopting the Sunday schedule would reduce the span of service and cut the service frequency from every 30 minutes to hourly which may result in overcrowding on this busy bus line. I therefore oppose this proposal. Developers along the El Camino Real corridor should help provide extra funding for this route. I suggest NCTD staff work with the Cities of Oceanside, Carlsbad, and Encinitas.

I also further request advising the management of the major employers along this bus route so that they will be allowed to comment, since their support staff would be left without early morning and late night public transportation on Saturdays.

Route 311/312:
This route connects the residential communities of West Oceanside with shopping centers and the Downtown Oceanside Transit Center. The route also connects with high density housing located along Bush St and Canyon Dr. As an alternative to eliminating the route as a whole, I suggest hosting a community town hall meeting in the area and suggest approaching and turning this route over to the City of Oceanside with a streamlined transfer agreement and continued marketing on NCTD media. Funding for the service can be provided via developer fees; most of which can originate from the development in the area of the Oceanside Transit Center and Downtown Oceanside. Other sources of revenue can come from parking tolls in Downtown Oceanside. I believe the route should also use smaller equipment instead of a full 40 foot bus to reduce operating expenses.

Route 313:
This route connects several high density residential communities with shopping centers and the Downtown Oceanside Transit Center. Canceling Saturday service will leave several service sector workers without public transportation to these centers. I therefore oppose this proposal and suggest that this route be better marketed in the communities in which it serves. The higher ridership would help increase the farebox recovery ratio. Additional funding can come from developer fees in the Downtown Oceanside area and other areas this route serves. I suggest working with the City of Oceanside with this.

I also further request advising the management of the major employers along this bus route, especially Wal-Mart so that they will be allowed to comment, since their support staff would be left without Route 313 on Saturdays.


Route 324 & Route 325:
I oppose both of these proposals due to several concerns. Route 324 connects Central Carlsbad with several activity centers including a shopping mall, major shopping centers, and high density residential areas. This route is proposed to be canceled and route 325 weekend service is also proposed to be canceled; if both proposals for Route 324 and 325 are executed, that would leave no weekend public transportation in the Central Carlsbad area east of Coast Hwy. Route 325 also terminates near two major shopping centers in East Oceanside, workplace of several weekend service-sector employees. I therefore object to both of these proposals. I suggest hosting a community town hall meeting in the area to discuss ways to improve productivity, farebox recovery, and better funding for both of these routes. Route 324 stops short of the Tri-City Medical Center, which is a transfer point for four bus routes and a major activity center. I therefore recommend extending the route to this area to increase productivity. The routing of Route 325 is also very circuitous. I suggest working with community to make the routing more efficient, more productive, and streamlined.

Route 338/339
Canceling this bus route will leave the Emerald Dr corridor (medium and high density residential areas), the Olive Av corridor (Washington Middle School), and the Hacienda corridor (major shopping centers and high density housing) without public transportation. Also the Vista Unified School District is on a spending-freeze and is therefore not in a financial position to offer replacement school bus service to Washington Middle School due to the school budget crisis at the state level. I therefore strongly object to this proposal. I suggest working with the cities and community to make the routing more efficient, more productive, and streamlined.

Route 341/442
This route is the only public transportation bus route that serves the San Marcos Bl corridor between the San Marcos Civic Center Sprinter Station and Las Posas. San Marcos Bl is a major arterial road with shopping and employment centers. Therefore I object to this proposal and I suggest working with community to make the routing more efficient, more productive, and streamlined.

Routes 347
My main concern regarding the cancellation of this route is the fact that the Costco shopping center and the Vineyard Av/Auto Park Way corridors will be left without any public transportation. Service sector employees who depend on this route to get to work will find this cancellation undesirable. I therefore oppose this proposal.

Routes 348 & 349A/349B
As an alternative to eliminating these routes as a whole, I suggest hosting a community town hall meeting in the Escondido area and suggest approaching and turning these routes over to the City of Escondido with a streamlined transfer agreement and continued marketing on NCTD media. Funding for the service can be provided via developer fees; most of which can originate from the development in the area of Downtown Escondido. I believe the routes should also use smaller equipment instead of full 40 foot buses to reduce operating expenses.

The area south of Mission Rd and east of Valley Pkwy in the Southwest Escondido area consist of several employers for the service-sector worker. This area spans approximately 1 1/2 to 2 square miles. The cancellation of both Routes 347 and 348 will leave only Routes 305 and 308 as the only forms of public transportation through the area. Since these two routes mainly span the perimeter of the area, employees who use Routes 347 & 348 will be left with undesirable lengthy walks into the area if they have to take Routes 305 or 308 as an alternate. I therefore strongly object the Route 347 and 348 proposals.


Route 350
I strongly object to this proposal and request that extra funding for this service and the proposed Route 350 Bus Rapid Transit line be provided via developer fees; most of which can originate from the development in the area of Downtown Escondido. Route 350 is a key bus line. It is the only round-the-clock bus route that links the Escondido area to MTS Route 20 through the San Diego suburban areas. This proposal will cause Saturday service on a very productive bus route to start up 90 minutes later in the day at 7:03 AM instead of 5:33 AM and will leave early morning weekend workers who work in the San Diego MTS area without any public transportation into the MTS service area. I find this proposal unacceptable for workers who depend on this route to get to early morning Saturday jobs in the MTS service area.
I also request advising San Diego MTS so that they will be allowed to comment, since the 6:19AM and the 6:49AM runs of MTS Route 20 would be left without any inbound connections if this proposal was to be implemented.

Routes 351/352
These routes are two of the core east/west bus routes in the Escondido area, serving Washington Av and Grand Av. It is also serves Grand Av through the Downtown area which is undergoing mixed-use development (pending housing economy). The only other bus routes that run directly through Downtown Escondido are Routes 386 and 388. These two routes operate less than every hour. Also, Routes 351/352 connect several high density residential areas to various shopping centers and Downtown Escondido. In lieu of cutting the frequency of service to hourly on Saturdays, I suggest that extra funding for this service to maintain service of every 30 minutes on Saturdays be provided via developer fees; most of which can originate from the development in the area of Downtown Escondido and in the foothills near the Valley Pkwy and Washington Av junction.

Routes 358/359
I suggest hosting a community town hall meeting in the Northeast Escondido area to gather community input on the productivity of this route. I suggest the route should also use smaller equipment instead of a full 40 foot bus to reduce operating expenses. The cost savings can then be used to partially fund continued weekend service.

Route 365
I request that this proposal be held back and suggest that a community meeting take place to gather community input on improving the productivity of Routes 304, 309, and 365 through the Encinitas area. The three primary activity centers served by Route 365 are the Encinitas Station, the Encinitas Ranch Town Center, and The Forum shopping center. Currently, Route 365 is the only bus route that offers pedestrian-friendly access to the Encinitas Ranch and The Forum shopping centers. Routes 304 and 309 which serve Leucadia and El Camino Real respectively offer very little pedestrian-friendly access to these activity centers; therefore, they are not acceptable alternatives for bus riders traveling to/from these centers. I also suggest that the route use smaller equipment instead of a full 40 foot bus to reduce operating expenses.

Route 386:
Although I strongly support the need to increase service frequency along the E Valley Pkwy cooridor in Escondido to hourly, I strongly oppose this proposal. Route 386 is the only public transportation route that connects the community of Ramona to not only the rest of the NCTD service area, but to jobs, shopping, and professional offices that are not provided in the Ramona area. MTS Routes 891/892 are not acceptable alternatives as they only operate on select days of the week and provide no connections to the NCTD area. I also object to the cancellation of weekend service and also request advising the San Diego Wild Animal Park management so that they will be allowed to comment, since their support staff would be left without public transportation on weekends. The park may even be willing to help pay for portions of this route for its staff and tourists in return for in-bus and station advertising.

Route 397:
I strongly oppose this proposal. Route 397 is the only public transportation link from Fallbrook into Camp Pendleton. Without this route, riders must take Route 306 to Route 303 to Route 315 as an alternative. That trip would be extremely time consuming, unproductive, and unacceptable for riders. I request working with the USMC and the Fallbrook community for better funding solutions.

Route 403:
Due to the school funding crisis at the state level, I strongly suggest that this proposal be held back until the Oceanside Unified School District has adequate funding from the State of California to offer school bus service as replacement.

Route 415:
Route 415 is a feeder route that connects Coaster riders to the employment centers in the area of the Oceanside Airport. Although Route 303 follows Route 415 via Mission Rd, Route 303 does not directly enter the business plaza areas. Employees working at Deutsch Industries who rely on this shuttle and the Coaster would basically be left without any public transportation to work, forcing them to drive which would increase traffic on the already congested I-5 freeway. I also further request advising the management of these employers along this bus route so that they will be allowed to comment.

FAST - Encinitas, Fallbrook, Ramona and Vista
Since there are no other transit services in most of the FAST service areas, I oppose these proposals and request they be held back until replacement service is proposed. Canceling FAST service would leave several transit-dependent riders without access to public transportation, especially in the Ramona area since Route 386 is proposed to be canceled east of the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I suggest hosting a community town hall meeting in each of these areas and suggest approaching and turning this service over to the communities, a private or a municipal operator with a transfer agreement.

I request that these written comments be added to the public record and considered at the Public Hearing Meeting to be held May 12.

Best Regards,

Nicholas Ventrone,
Rider and Transit Advocate

Cc. NCTD Board of Directors
[/size]

[nickv]

NCTD Transit Service to San Diego County Fair
NCTD - Riders Alert

Catch the BREEZE Fairgrounds Shuttle to
Reach the 2008 San Diego County Fair!

BREEZE Shuttle buses serve the San Diego
County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds from
June 14 – July 6 (fair closed June 16 & 23)



Don’t throw away your money on high gas prices this summer – take the
Fairgrounds Shuttle from the Solana Beach COASTER Station (Route 401) or from
the Escondido Transit Center (Route 408) and receive a $1.75 discount* off the
price of regular Fair admission.

From Escondido – Route 408
Take advantage of the ample parking options at the Escondido Transit Center and hop aboard
the hourly BREEZE Fairgrounds Shuttle. The first trip from the Escondido Transit Center departs
at 9:45 a.m. and leaves every hour, with the last trip of the day at 9:45 p.m. The trip takes 45
minutes and will drop you off near the Fair’s West Gate entrance (in the Fair’s Fun zone). Return
trips to Escondido leave the Fairgrounds at 10:45 a.m. and every hour until the last trip at 10:45
p.m.

From Solana Beach – Route 401
This shuttle runs until midnight from the Solana Beach train station to the Fairgrounds! Catch
the BREEZE Fairgrounds Shuttle in front of the COASTER station located north of Lomas Santa Fe
on N. Cedros Avenue. Shuttles leave approximately every 20-25 minutes and will drop you off
near the Fair’s West Gate entrance (in the Fair’s Fun zone). The first shuttle leaves the Solana
Beach COASTER station at 9:35 a.m. and runs until 12:05 a.m. The last trip from the Fair’s West
Gate leaves at 12:12 a.m. for the return trip to the station.

From the COASTER [or AMTRAK]
A relaxing train ride is a perfect way to experience North County’s coastline and to beat the
traffic on Interstate-5 as well. Take the COASTER to the Solana Beach COASTER station and then
catch the BREEZE Fairgrounds Shuttle (route 401). You can get to the fair in under 40 minutes
from the Oceanside Transit Center. Please note the COASTER does not operate on Sundays.

Service on the Shuttles is provided every day the Fair is open. Fares are $4 for a
regular day pass; $2 senior/disabled day pass, or use your COASTER ticket to ride
the shuttle for free!

*To receive a $1.75 discount on regular Fair admission, present any of the following at the ticket window at the
West Gate only: current COASTER monthly pass; COASTER ticket validated (time stamped) with current day;
BREEZE regular or senior/disabled Day Pass for the current day; current BREEZE monthly pass or current San
Diego Regional monthly passes which include Senior/Disabled and Youth passes. Discount admission cannot be
combined with any other admission discount; one discount per passenger ticket or pass.

[nickv]

NCTD Bus Drivers Union official says transit district cuts too deep
By GIG CONAUGHTON - NC Times Staff Writer
Thursday, May 29, 2008 5:10 PM PDT


Photo courtesy of the-bus-stops-here.org.

The financially struggling North County Transit District is planning to cut its budget more deeply than necessary and should reconsider proposals to ax bus routes that would lay off drivers and hurt riders, a spokesman for the bus drivers union said this week.

District officials have said the agency could balance its 2008-09 budget by cutting $661,000 in services. However, a proposed $91.3 million spending plan unveiled by the district on May 15 would slash $2.4 million in services. That plan is expected to be approved by the transit district board on June 19.

Jesse Perez, a leader with Teamsters Local 542, said the district's plan to lay off 10 percent of its work force and cut bus routes ---- while replenishing depleted reserve funds ----- is irresponsible.

"That's like saying, 'I'm not going to feed my family for a week so that I can build up my savings account,' " Perez said.

The union represents the district's 299 bus drivers.

Transit officials have said that the agency needs to make deep cuts now to stabilize the district's finances for the next few years. Financial problems are expected to continue due to rising fuel and operational costs, dwindling state support and disappointing sales tax revenue, they have said.

The district has already laid off three of its top six executive managers, and a still-unknown number of nonunion personnel, including supervisors, administrative workers and others.

Bus drivers would be the next target, with up to 10 percent being laid off in two phases, in August and in January.

A week ago, Perez sounded defiant, saying unionized bus drivers were "not going down without a fight."

This week, however, he sounded more resigned, saying that he hoped the transit district would negotiate with the union to offer senior bus drivers severance packages that could allow some to retire and spare other drivers from being laid off.

Transit district Executive Director Karen King ---- who is leaving the district June 20 ---- could not be reached for comment Wednesday or Thursday.

Perez said he planned to attend the transit board's June 19 budget meeting to ask board members to keep bus routes rather than cutting them.

He said that cutting the bus routes, including all shuttle bus services in Ramona, Fallbrook, Encinitas and Vista, would hurt the public as well as drivers.

At a May 13 hearing, nearly 200 frightened and angry bus riders ----- many of whom were elderly or disabled ----- told transit district board members that cutting bus service could destroy their lives by cutting them off from family, jobs and even medical care.

Cutbacks are proposed for numerous routes around the county, including 16 that would be dropped completely from Mondays to Fridays.

Dave Roberts, the transit district's vice chairman, has also said that the district was proposing to cut more than was necessary.

Roberts, a Solana Beach councilman and financial consultant, was the one who pointed out that the district only needed to cut $661,000 to balance its budget this year.

This week, he said the district shouldn't cut so many bus routes because the public hadn't been given enough warning time.

"A lot of people have signed leases and made doctors appointments," Roberts said. "And to take away bus service from them, even in January, I don't think gives them enough notice."

Roberts said he thought the transit district should look at cutting less out of its budget and try to find more money to ward off rising costs.

He suggested that the transit district might look into selling advertising space on their buses.

Roberts said that, over the last 10 years, the Del Mar Fairgrounds had grown its advertising "sponsorships" from nothing to $10 million a year. Roberts also suggested that other groups could help pay for bus service, such as the military helping to pay for routes traveling through Camp Pendleton.

Contact staff writer Gig Conaughton at [phone] or [e-mail].

[nickv]

NCTD ACTION ALERT: FAST Bus to be Cancelled
Many Transit-Dependent People Left Without Public Transit to Work, Doctor's Office

Boy, NCTD is in such a severe financial problem that the district is just about in bad trouble...No, many transit-dependent riders including several in the City of Ramona are in bad trouble. NCTD's proposed service reductions are so tight that it will have a strong negative effect on the quality of life for several transit dependent riders, especially those living in Ramona. Several (ie. those who do not qualify for paratransit service) will be left without transportation to work or to the doctor's office, period.

(EDIT: All transit dependent passengers will be affected who live far from Route 386; paratransit service in Ramona will be cancelled.)

Thinking about taking action? See this video report:

• FAST Reductions Video Report
• (report will start after a 15-30 second commercial)

Looking at the news report that follows, the Board did vote to cancel the FAST bus. This is downright unacceptable. I'm going to see if I can get some letters drafted from nearby businesses to the NCTD Board to get (at the very least) the Ramona and Fallbrook FAST service reinstated or replaced as soon as possible), but I'm going to need some help. If you can help draft letters, please PM me. The TTC would also appreciate any donations too; this will help pay for TTC letterheads, postage, and TTC trips to meetings.

View TTC Comments submitted to NCTD during the public hearing period.
......................

Reductions To Be Implemented Next Month - NBC San Diego

POSTED: 9:10 pm PDT June 20, 2008
UPDATED: 9:51 pm PDT June 20, 2008

SAN DIEGO -- The North County Transit District is cutting certain bus routes and raising rates due to high gas prices and a tight budget, officials said Friday.

"Those were tough choices that had to be made in order to keep the service viable and to keep the service out there that we currently have," NCTD spokesman Tom Kelleher said.

The NCTD voted Friday to increase rates by as much as a dollar for the light rail sprinter, the coaster and the breeze buses that run out of the north county.

The changes go into effect July 1.

The transit district said rising fuel costs -- especially diesel fuel -- is eating up an already tight budget. and it's getting less funding from the state than they anticipated.

Officials said the most unproductive breeze bus routes will be eliminated -- along with FAST -- an on-call bus service that runs to Fallbrook, Vista, Encinitas and Ramona.

On the sprinter train, officials said they are limiting the number of bicycles allowed on board.

Now, no more than four bikes will be permitted on the train at a time, as officials said an overwhelming number of bikes onboard is becoming a hazard. Officials said they're looking at a number of ways to accommodate more bikes in the future, such as removing some seats or adding a hanging storage system.

[nickv]

Letter to NCTD regarding the cancellation of Coaster Rail 2 Rail:

View the Rider's Alert Flyer on Fare Change here.

---

North County Transit District
810 Mission Avenue
Oceanside, CA 92054

Re: Coaster Rail 2 Rail Program

Dear Sir or Madem:

I am writting on behalf of the Transit Coalition of Southern California, a non-profit organization working to improve public transportation, mobility, and quality of life in the Southern California region. We are disappointed that the North County Transit District (NCTD) Board of Directors adopted the proposal from the NCTD Planning Committee to cancel the Rail 2 Rail agreement with Amtrak California in its April budget deliberations without soliciting any public input.

While a proposal to reduce $125,000 in spending is justified to balance the NCTD budget, cancelling the Rail 2 Rail agreement runs counter to the principles of NCTD to move people considering that both the COASTER and Amtrak trains have seen a surge in ridership demand due to expensive gasoline prices. For a modest investment of $125,000 per year, Rail 2 Rail offers COASTER monthly pass holders more transit options, trains, and expanded weekend service which is not provided by the COASTER. Cutting Rail 2 Rail service will place a huge hole into regional transit mobility in the NCTD and San Diego MTS service area for monthly pass holders and Amtrak ticket holders. The public's opinions should have been solicited prior to the approval of the cancellation of the Rail 2 Rail program.

It is also unclear whether or not this major rail service reduction violates Federal Transit Administration regulations. As a recipient of FTA funds, NCTD is required that any significant reductions in service or a change of 25 percent in any service be notified to the public. Transit district "Rider Alert" flyers have indicated that the reduction was approved and would go into effect in July of 2008, thus indicating that there is no opportunity for COASTER monthly pass holders to comment.

The Transit Coalition objects to the proposal to cancel the Rail 2 Rail program. Extra funding for the transit district can originate from developer fees, better managed street parking tolls, use of smaller equipment for low density bus routes, and increasing the COASTER and SPRINTER fare evasion fine. We therefore respectfully request that the NCTD withdraw the cancelation of the Rail 2 Rail program and establish a contract renewal with Amtrak California. We also advise NCTD to continue its COASTER and SPRINTER volunteer Ambassador program to improve productivity of train station security guards and customer service clerks. That program was very well received by the community and has helped improve the productivity of paid employees.

We appreciate your consideration of these comments.[/size]

[nickv]

NCTD Service Reduction Highlights
EFFECTIVE AUGUST 10, 2008: - NCTD Riders Alert



Ramona will see doomsday, but got spared from total transit isolation.
The town is left with one fixed route that operates during rush
hours only. On demand FAST service is cancelled, and paratransit
service in Ramona (east of the Wild Animal Park) is cancelled.

It is very disappointing to see nearly every proposed NCTD
service cut approved. There are other reductions that will affect
riders that were never brought to attention in the public hearing
notice. Although those cuts were under the FTA 25% reduction
threshold and legal to execute without a hearing, many of those
cuts are very hard in the eyes of a transit dependent rider.

Due to budget reductions, the following changes in NCTD
bus service will affect passengers beginning August 10, 2008:

---

Route 101 (Local Route)
Oceanside TC - San Diego UTC
Saturdays: Operate on Sunday schedule. The Saturday 5:55AM and the 6:20AM
northbound trips cancelled. 9:33PM southbound trip cancelled.

Route 304/404 (Local/Regional Connector)
Encinitas - San Marcos
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This reduction was not
published in the public hearing).

Route 308 (Local/Regional Connector)
Escondido TC - Solana Beach
Saturdays: Operate on Sunday schedule. The first and last trips of the day
in each direction cancelled.

Route 309 (Local Route)
Oceanside Town Center North - Encinitas Coaster Station
Saturdays: Operate on Sunday schedule. Service frequency reduced from every
30 minutes to hourly. The first and last trips of the day in each
direction cancelled.

Route 311/312 (Circulator, Oceanside TC Feeder)
West Oceanside Circulator
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This route was originally
proposed to be cancelled in the public hearing notice).

Route 313 (Local Route)
San Luis Rey TC - Oceanside TC
Weekends: All weekend service cancelled.

Route 321 (Community Route/Regional Connector)
Carlsbad Village - Palomar College via Legoland
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This reduction was not
published in the public hearing).

Route 324 (Local Route)
Costa Serena - Carlsbad Coaster Station
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This route was originally
proposed to be cancelled in the public hearing notice).

Route 325 (Community Route)
Oceanside Town Center North - Carlsbad Coaster Station
Weekends: All Weekend Service Cancelled.

Route 334/335 (Vista Circulator)
Vista TC - East Vista
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This reduction was not
published in the public hearing).

Route 338/339 (Community Route)
Vista TC - Tri City Medical Center
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This route was originally
proposed to be cancelled in the public hearing notice).

Route 341/342 (Local Route)
Cal State San Marcos - Palomar College
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This route was originally
proposed to be cancelled in the public hearing notice).

Route 347 (Community Route)
Escondido - Palomar College
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This route was originally
proposed to be cancelled in the public hearing notice).

Route 348/349 (Circulators, Sprinter Feeder)
Southwest Escondido Circulators
Saturdays: All Saturday service cancelled (Note - This route was originally
proposed to be cancelled in the public hearing notice).

Route 350 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - North County Fair Mall
Saturdays: Operate on Sunday schedule. This will cause the service to
start up later in the day at 7:03 AM instead of 5:33 AM.

Route 351/352 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - Valley Pkwy & Washington
Sundays/Holidays: Frequency reduced from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes.
(Note - Saturday service was also originally proposed to be reduced to the
Sunday schedule in the public hearing notice).

Route 354 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - Orange Glen High School
Saturdays: Operate on Sunday schedule. The first two and last two trips of the
day in each direction cancelled.

Route 356 (Circulator)
Escondido TC - El Norte Pkwy
Saturdays: Operate on Sunday schedule. This will cause the service to
start up later in the day at 8:03 AM instead of 6:03 AM. Service will
also end three hours earlier at 5:53 PM instead of 8:53 PM.

Route 358/359 (Local Route)
Escondido TC - Escondido Country Club
Weekends: All Weekend Service Cancelled.

Route 386 (Regional Route)
Escondido TC - Ramona via HWY 78
Weekdays: Frequency between Escondido TC to SD Wild Animal Park increased to
hourly. Service east of SD Wild Animal Park reduced to rush hours only,
resulting in two round trips in the morning and two round trips in the
afternoon.
Weekends: All weekend service cancelled.

Route 403 (School Tripper)
El Camino High School
Weekdays: Line Cancelled.

Route 415 (Coaster Feeder Shuttle)
Oceanside TC - Oceanside Industrial Center
Weekdays: Line Cancelled.

Route 447 (Sprinter Feeder Shuttle)
Palomar College TC - Rex Industries
Weekdays: Line Cancelled.

Encinitas COASTER Connection (Coaster Feeder Shuttle)
Weekdays: Line Cancelled.

FAST Encinitas, Fallbrook, Ramona and Vista. (On Demand Transit)
Weekdays/Saturdays: All FAST Service Cancelled.

LIFT (NCTD Paratransit Service)
All Trips: Paratransit service in Ramona, east of the San Diego Wild Animal Park
is cancelled. (Note - This reduction was not published in the public
hearing).

---

The following proposals may or may not take place at a later time due to budget cuts:

SPRINTER (LRT)
Oceanside - Vista - San Marcos - Escondido
Weekends: Increase frequecy from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

[nickv]

Ramona Senior center explores FAST-like bus service


The NCTD on-demand FAST bus service was cancelled on 8/10.
A Ramona Senior Center looks to establish replacement service.


Julie Pendray 07.AUG.08

A group of disabled Ramona residents is circulating a petition they hope will reverse the North County Transit District (NCTD) decision to eliminate FAST bus service here.

The NCTD voted in June to stop FAST bus service in Ramona on Aug. 10. That curb-to-curb, mini-bus service has been provided on an on-call basis for areas not served by Breeze buses.

Sherrie Rohter initiated the petition. Rohter suffers from cerebral palsy and is a triplegic, which means that the use of all but one of her limbs is compromised.

Rohter and some other disabled people from Ramona went to the June NCTD board meeting but she said she didn’t feel that the board believed her when she told them there’s no alternative transportation for her here.

“The board didn’t understand handicapped people,” she told the Sentinel recently.

Her main caregiver, Terrie Day, agreed.

“The board looked at Sherrie like, ‘What do you mean?’” Day said. “These people are all from cities. They’re used to having all kinds of modes of transportation. There’s no public transportation here.”

Day said Rohter’s petition simply states, “We need your help. Let’s save our FAST bus.”

Rohter said she’s not sure when she’ll give the petition to NCTD. She and others who support the FAST bus service have collected more than 400 signatures so far. Anyone can sign the petition, whether they are disabled or not.

Julie Berry, another disabled Ramona resident, is circulating the petition. So far, she has sent it to local churches and people who ride the FAST bus.

Berry suffers from chiari malformation, which gives her migraines, muscle aches and dizziness and makes her exhausted, she said. Berry has used the FAST bus to go to medical appointments in San Marcos or Rancho Bernardo.

When she has had appointments in Escondido, she has taken the regular bus. But now, that won’t be possible either, she said, because NCTD’s new reduced schedule for that route, due to take effect Aug. 10, won’t work for her. Service on the Ramona to Escondido route will be provided only in the early morning and evening commuter hours.

“I can’t take a bus at 5 a.m. and wait 12 hours in Escondido until 5 p.m. to come home,” Berry said.

She has a daughter in grade school. When asked how she plans to pick up her daughter from school and get to her own appointments, Berry doesn’t have a solution and said she plans to “pray a lot.”

“This decision by the transit district is leaving us stranded,” she said. “The idea was proposed in April and a lot of people are only just now getting to know about the change.”

Rohter and others went to a recent meeting of Citizens for a Better Ramona. Day said the group can’t do much for them, but they suggested that disabled people contact their elected officials.

One solution is being proposed. The Ramona Senior Center is considering purchasing a vehicle.

Ray Cardona, executive director, said his board has directed him to look into the idea.

“We’re looking at questions like, would we need a dispatcher? What would it entail?” he said. “We’ve looked into it before, but it was too expensive.

“If we’re going to be a strong community, we need this, and it will take the whole community to do it.”

Cardona said any vehicle purchased would likely be no bigger than the FAST bus, which seats 15 passengers and has a wheelchair lift. It would have to be a basic vehicle that would cost no more than $40,000 new. And, he said, it would have to be able to operate on Ramona’s unpaved roads.

“We have to look at issues like insurance,” he said. “It would cost us $4,000 extra each year just for insurance. Then there’s the fuel and maintenance.”

Cardona said he has his “feelers out.” He has been speaking to community groups.

He said he doesn’t think Rohter’s petition will make NCTD change its decision.

“They’ve been thinking about that for a long time,” he said.

When Berry was told about the senior center’s exploration’s of a possible vehicle to replace the FAST bus service, she said, “That’s great. I hope they can do something quickly that can be successful.”

[nickv]

A New Hope for NCTD



NCTD's new chief sees opportunity in challenges

By Michael Burge
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

November 22, 2008

NORTH COUNTY – Matthew Tucker says times may be tough for the North County Transit District, where he will become executive director in January, but he has this observation:
Innovate. It's the best way to deal with challenges.

“Even in the middle of these difficult times, it gives you an opportunity to innovate,” Tucker said by phone from Richmond, Va., yesterday.

Tucker, the son of a Baptist preacher and the head of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, shows enthusiasm for transit that borders on evangelism.

North County Transit recently raised fares, cut routes and reduced staff by 10 percent. Its former executive director, Karen King, departed in June. She left three months after the launch of the Sprinter light rail system between Oceanside and Escondido. The district also operates the Coaster train that runs between Oceanside and San Diego, and the Breeze bus system.

“Everybody's facing some real fiscal challenges,” Tucker said. “We've got to make difficult decisions, but we've got to set priorities in terms of our customers and employees.

“It's the time I believe good managers can distinguish themselves by innovation.”

Tucker, 40, worked his way up from financial intern to assistant general manager of the Greater Richmond (Va.) Transit Co., then took a position as the deputy director of public transit in Phoenix.

He then held a number of positions in the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, where he climbed the ladder to chief operating officer in charge of planning, facilities, maintenance and other duties.

In 2006, he returned to his native Virginia to head the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

Asked why he'd leave a job as director of a state department to manage a regional transit district, Tucker said he returned to Virginia because that was his home state.

“Another (reason) was to position myself to be a transit general manager,” he said, and now he's making that move.

“North County has all the modes: commuter rail, light rail, buses and paratransit” for the disabled.

Tucker said that his wife has family in Orange County and that San Diego has an irresistible side attraction.

“Once you come out there and take a look at the Pacific Ocean, . . . that's not a minus,” Tucker said. “From a family and career perspective, I felt the job in San Diego fit.”

Tucker contrasted the North County Transit District, which serves 800,000 people in 1,000 square miles and transports 1 million riders a month, with San Francisco, which has a similar population compressed in 49 square miles and carries 700,000 riders a day.

“From a public-transit point of view, it's not easy to cover 1,000 square miles,” he said.

He noted that the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, centered in San Jose, has similar challenges.

He said it was too early for him to make specific suggestions about the North County Transit District, because he hasn't experienced it yet, but that a transit agency must respond to its community's needs.

“In Palo Alto, that 40-foot bus didn't fit in,” he said. “We introduced a small vehicle . . . that could hold 25 people.

He said a smaller vehicle may become part of a community's identity, which helps attract riders, and it may be cheaper to operate.

But Tucker said one can't make generalizations about public transit and apply them anywhere.

“You have to look at transit on a community by community basis,” he said.

He also said that for many bus and train riders, transit isn't a choice, but their lifeline.

“We have to understand the long-term impacts of the decisions we make,” he said.

Michael Burge: [phone]; [e-mail]

---

I have written to NCTD for some time that there are number of NCTD bus routes, such as circulators and shuttles that should be operated using smaller equipment instead of a full 40 foot bus, which would lower operating costs. I'm glad Tucker is addressing this problem right away!

[nickv]

North County Transit District - BREEZE Bus Service Cancellations
effective January 25, 2009


Photo courtesy of the-bus-stops-here.org (offline).

The next NCTD BREEZE bus changes are approaching. BREEZE schedule changes will also be accompanied by many route changes. The following routes will be cancelled due to ongoing State funding issues:

Route 311/312 - Circulator, Oceanside TC Rail Feeder
West Oceanside Circulator
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

Route 324 - Local Route
Costa Serena - Carlsbad Coaster Station
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

Route 338/339 - Community Shuttle, Vista TC SPRINTER Feeder
Vista TC - Tri City Medical Center
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

Route 341/342 - Local Route
Cal State San Marcos - Palomar College
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

Route 348/349 - Circulators, Escondido TC Sprinter Feeder
Southwest Escondido Circulators
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

Route 365 - Community Shuttle
Encinitas Coaster Station - Forum
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

Route 397 - Local + Regional Connector
Fallbrook - Camp Pendleton - Oceanside TC
All Days: Cancel route due to reduced local sales tax funding and reduced State funding.

NCTD will also be altering the following routes:
306, 347 and 388.

When route information including maps are available they will be posted on the NCTD website and the TTC Discussion Board.

[nickv]

San Diego County's Version of the "TAP": Compass Card



San Diego's new smart card for transit, the Compass Card, will be replacing all paper passes over the coming months. COASTER pass holders will be among the first to use the Compass Card. Starting in soon, all COASTER monthly passes will be on the Compass Card.

Learn More About the Compass Card at 511sd.com



Compass Card and SPRINTER Ambassadors will be stationed on train platforms starting April 20 according to NCTD to help train riders.

[nickv]

North County Transit District - Proposed BREEZE Bus Service Reductions
Public Hearing on September 3, 2009


Photo courtesy of the-bus-stops-here.

TTC Action Alert - STATE RAIDS OF TRANSIT FUNDS REJECTED

Find out about this major court ruling here. Also, learn about TransForm's campaign to protect public transportation funding in the state budget.

The State of California has been a critical funding source for transit agencies within the state. NCTD and San Diego MTS have been hit hard over the last several years due to transit funding raids. See NCTD's reduction history from the past 18 months here.

---

On September 3, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. the North County Transit District (NCTD) Board will hold a Public
Hearing in the NCTD Board Room, 810 Mission Avenue, Oceanside, CA 92054 to hear public comment about
its proposed January 24, 2010 service changes for BREEZE fixed-route bus services. (Nearest BREEZE
Routes: 303 and 313) Comments not addressed at the Public Hearing will be responded to by NCTD at the
regular meeting on September 17, 2009 at 2 p.m. Following the district’s response to public comments, the
Board may act to adopt the proposed service changes.

Route 302/305 - Local
Oceanside - Escondido
Move the transfer point between the lines from Kaiser Medical Center to the Vista Transit Center. Replace
service on the Robelini Dr./Sycamore Ave. deviation with a rail feeder shuttle route from the Buena Creek SPRINTER station.

Route 315 - Local
Town Center North to 22 Area via Vandegrift Blvd.
Reduce span of service.

Route 317 - Community Shuttle
East Oceanside
Reduce span to rush hours only. Cancel all midday and late night trips. Cancel all weekend trips.

Route 318 - Local
Oceanside to Rancho Del Oro Station via Oceanside Blvd.
Cancel service east of the El Camino Real SPRINTER Station. Cancel all Sunday/Holiday service.

Route 319 - Local
Rancho Del Oro Station to Quarry Creek via MiraCosta College
Cancel line south of MiraCosta College. Cancel all weekend trips. Extend line north to serve both El Corazon Senior Center and Ocean Ranch Blvd. and Corporate Center Dr.

Route 321 - Local
Carlsbad Village to Legoland short trips
Cancel all Midday Short Trip Runs between Carlsbad Village train station and Legoland.

Route 395 - Regional Connector
San Clemente - Oceanside Town Center via Camp Pendleton
Adjust service span and frequency.

[nickv]

Good News from NCTD (9/12/2009):

• NCTD cancelles the $40/month fare surcharge on the Sorrento Valley COASTER Connection (SVCC) for a 3 month period with a goal of permanent removal to improve farebox recovery and productivity on Coaster trains.
  
• NCTD invites the public to join in a conversation about the future of public transit in North County.
  
• Through a contract with the private sector, NCTD will not cancel express bus service to Chargers football games.
  

Transit: Reconnecting NCTD:

NCTD has curtailed service frequency and service span on most of its bus routes and have cancelled several other rail feeders, regional connectors, shuttles, demand response buses, and local circulators over the course of the last three years due to ongoing budget issues. Due to these cuts, many NCTD bus riders were faced with fewer or no public transportation choices.

“It will no longer be acceptable
to simply raise fares,
while at the same time
cutting service. We must
find other solutions.”
- Leslie Rogers, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Official

Please visit the Transit: Reconnecting NCTD Web site often, as this site will be updated with new information and opportunities to help restore bus service in NCTD.

Visit the NCTD discussion thread for dialogue on NCTD transit.



NC Times: NCTD to drop unpopular Coaster connection fee
Ridership numbers for coastal train off the rails

PAUL SISSON - [e-mail] | Posted: Thursday, September 10, 2009 10:55 pm

OCEANSIDE ---- After seeing ridership decline by more than half, the North County Transit District announced Wednesday that it will temporarily do away with a much-maligned $1 fee to ride shuttles that connect the Sorrento Valley Coaster train platform to surrounding businesses.

Matthew Tucker, the district's executive director, said Thursday that adding the fee last year cut ridership on the Sorrento Valley Coaster Connection shuttle by 40 to 50 percent and has generally hurt the Coaster's declining ridership numbers.

"It was just like a toll that someone puts in your driveway," Tucker said. "You make that last turn after traveling 15 miles to get home at the end of your workday, and here's a toll booth to get in your own front door."

To start, the district will pay San Diego's Metropolitan Transportation Services about $5,000 per month to subsidize the cost of the connection shuttle for three months from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

Tucker said that it is likely, though not certain, the fee will disappear for good.

"We are probably moving that way to eliminate it on a permanent basis," Tucker said.

A ridership tally for the recently-completed 2008-09 budget year showed that the Coaster carried 184,396 fewer riders than it did the previous year. And that's despite seeing gas prices spike above $4 per gallon in September and October of 2008. All told, only September, October and July of 2008 saw ridership gains. Numbers for the rest of the months show mounting erosion in the number of commuters riding the service which travels between Oceanside and Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego.

In July 2009, the most recent month of Coaster ridership counts available, the train tallied 47,747 fewer boardings than it did in July 2008.

Tucker attributed the results, which have also been down about 20 percent on local bus systems, to three main factors: An overall decrease in gas prices, a decrease in automobile congestion on Interstate 5 and an increase in unemployment throughout the area.

"When you look at all those things, it's not a surprise to me that we would find ridership down in a pretty significant way," Tucker said.

The transit district is now working with a private consultant to study all of its routes and restructure to eliminate a growing deficit that could hit $14 million in five years.

In the end, Tucker said turning things around at the transit district will not just mean paring back service, as has continually been the case for local bus routes over the last year.

He said there are some instances, such as with the Sorrento Valley shuttle, where spending a bit more money can bring larger dividends if it attracts more commuters who buy $170 monthly passes.

"It would only take three of those riders to pay for the cost of the connection," Tucker said. "When you think about it long range, it's the right thing to do."

He added that increasing the frequency of bus service along major North County arteries may also be a better solution than more cuts.

Call staff writer Paul Sisson at 760-901-4087