Transit Advocates' latest newsletter: OCTA has funding to stop bus cuts, plus a call for volunteers
Submitted by Steven on 27 September, 2009 - 8:26pm
Just got another e-mail from the Transit Advocates of Orange County. I've pasted it here:
[e] taoc@earthlink.net [t] (714) 607-0012 [w] advocates.transitrideroc.com
Attend OCTA Bus Cuts Community Meetings s
If you can only attend one OCTA meeting this year, it’s best to attend the upcoming public hearing on October 26, BUT if we really want to stop the cuts, we need to show up in full force at all the community meetings and:
1 Ask OCTA to cut service only where riders have other alternatives
A. Save night owl service until 1 am
B. Preserve span (first and last buses of the say)
2 – Ask OCTA to use available OCTA monies to stop the cuts (see below)!
With more people at these meetings, we can prevent the worst cuts!
We had about 25 people at the first community meeting, with some very convincing arguments. The more people we have, the more OICTA realizes we are serious about saving our bus service. These meetings are also a great opportunity to understand the specifics of OCTA’s latest thinking and see how the cuts will affect YOUR routes if we can’t prevent them.
If you ride these routes - 20, 21, 24, 62, 76, 82, 85, 86, 87, 131, 145, 147, 164, 167, 177, 187, 193, 693 - or use Night Owl service, start looking for another way to get around because your routes are eliminated in whole or in part in 3 of the 4 proposed strategies (see below).
Community meetings:
1. Sept 29 – Tuesday, 6-8 pm – Anaheim Community Center , 250 E. Center St.
2. Oct 1 – Thursday, 6-8 pm - Laguna Hills Community Center, 25555 Alicia Pkwy., Heritage Room, Laguna Hills
March Cuts Public Hearing - Oct. 26 – Monday, 9 am, OCTA HQ
Restoring OCTA Bus Funding – Nov. 9 - Monday, 9 am, OCTA HQ
March Cuts Board Vote - Nov. 23 – Monday, 9 am, OCTA HQ
OCTA Has the Money to Prevent Bus Cuts – Attend Monday, Nov. 9, 9am
Transit Advocates of Orange County has been researching old OCTA board meeting minutes and has discovered MILLIONS OF DOLLARS within OCTA’s control that can be used to prevent the bus cuts. We’ve met with several board members who have agreed to have OCTA discuss these funds and consider re-assigning them back to bus use. We need your help to make sure the board “does the right thing” and restores these funds – we’ll need 9 votes to win. We’ll be sending more information to you on this exciting news, so you’ll know the details and can help us lobby OCTA.
For now, save the date of Monday, November 9, 9 am, to attend the board meeting where OCTA will decide whether to restore the funds or not. Also, let us know if you have connections to any of the board members – we’ll need your help!
OCTA Bus Cuts Update
As you know, OCTA is slashing bus service by 30% this year due to lower sales tax revenues and the elimination of state transit operations funding. Other transit agencies across the country are cutting service, too, but OCTA is one of the highest levels of cuts, and one of the earliest.
OCTA has decided to combine their next proposed cuts in December, March and June to all take place in March. These cuts will triple the level of this September’s cuts.
OCTA staff considered 5 strategies for reductions:
1. Make selected trip reductions, including both span reductions and non-span reductions
2. Reduce frequency/headway changes
3. Shorten entire route by changing terminal point and/or eliminating service on the least used segments
4. Make short turns - not all buses would travel the entire route all the time
5. Eliminate routes
The 4 strategies OCTA staff is asking the board to choose from are:
- Preserving service on core routes (Strategy A)
- Reduce service proportionally system-wide (Strategy B)
- Modify days and/or hours of operation (Strategy C)
- A combined strategy including elements of each of the above options (Strategy D)
Here’s a link to see the proposals:
http://www.octa.net/march2010detailedreport
Save your bus service by coming to OCTA meetings and letting them know what you think!
We Need Your Help to Save Bus Service !
Most important:
- Have bus riders and supporters sign up for our alerts so we can keep everyone informed. Most bus riders still don’t know about the cuts! We’ve attached a flyer (posted here), or go to our website above. Print them in black and white, with English on one side, Spanish on the other, or call us for copies. The more people who get involved, the bigger the impact we’ll make at OCTA!
- Come out with us this week to various transit centers to sign up bus riders.
- Attend OCTA board meetings to state your opinions. See dates above
Volunteers Needed
1. Most important: Sign up bus riders
2. Pass out our flyers (posted here)
3. Attend OCTA board meetings
4. Event Coordinator
5. Translate our flyers into Spanish
6. Translate at meetings into Spanish
7. Research
9. Printing
