Transit Advocates of Orange County
The Transit Advocates of Orange County is an all-volunteer group that works to improve bus, rail, biking and walking in Orange County. We believe that a well-run transit system with a combination of “choice” and “dependent” riders could change the nature of traffic patterns, and therefore livability, in our county. In our 11 years, we’ve had a significant impact on OCTA bus service, including resolving some of the problems caused by the 2001 OCTA bus system restructuring. While we normally focus on improving service, the recent economic crisis has forced us to focus on retaining bus funding just to keep buses running.
If these cuts will affect you, join us — the Transit Advocates! It’s free.
We’re a bus riders’ group working to stop the cuts. We‘ll keep you informed on how all of us can stop the bus cuts. We’ve found 27 ways OCTA can continue funding your bus service with money they already have, and stop many of the cuts. Together we can save our service!
So far we’ve been able to save Night Owl service through March, but after that it’ll be gone unless we all speak up with one voice. We were also able to save the Bus Book which was going to be severely reduced. Together, we can do even more! Sign up for the Transit Advocates' mailing list today.
Transit riders — what we accomplished in 2009
- minimizing the impact of the 2009-10 service cuts by delaying 8% of the cuts and transferring $64 million into bus operations from other OCTA–controlled funds,
- saving most of the first and last buses of the day,
- delaying the elimination of Night Owl buses and saving their first run, and
- retaining several bus routes and route segments that were scheduled for elimination
Our focus in 2010 — what we stand for
Our draft 2010 platform includes the following principles.
- Return OCTA-controlled funding for the Bristol Street Widening Project back to the bus system.
- The federal government must address the crisis in bus operations funding.
- The State needs to prioritize transit service and stop stealing bus operations funds.
- Businesses, institutions, and OCTA need to better promote public transit.
- Core bus service shouldn't take a backburner to High Speed Rail & “Go Local” projects
Download the draft platform in PDF.
Contact your state & federal legislators. Ask them to restore funding to transit.
The only way to stop the cuts is to restore transit funding! Most legislators have heard about the transit cuts but aren’t familiar with how bad they are, and the importance of operating—not capital—dollars to bring back service. Let them—and the candidates in the upcoming elections—know how the cuts will affect you and ask them to restore funding. This is the most important thing you can do! Find out who they are.
Contact your Board Members & attend OCTA's Board meetings
Your politicians — who control OCTA’s actions — attend these Board of Directors meetings, and make final decisions on the level of service OCTA provides for its bus riders. Call and e-mail them to ask them what they’re doing to support public transit and stop bus cuts. Find out who they are.
Attend board meetings:
OCTA Headquarters, 600 S Main Street, First Floor, Room 154, Orange, CA 92868.
OCTA lines 53, 56 and 83, and a short walk from line 54.
Every 2nd & 4th Monday of each month plus 10/8/2010 (except 10/4/2010 and 12/27/2010).
OCTA-controlled funding can prevent bus service cuts
OCTA already has sufficient funds within its control that can be re-assigned back to bus service, without any new monies from state or federal sources. It’s true that many OCTA funding decisions were made in better economic times and could not have anticipated the new realities of high unemployment, home foreclosures, precipitous declines in car sales, and cuts to state and federal programs. Given the crucial role transit plays in retaining jobs and protecting the local economy, it is only fair to revisit these decisions.
Bus monies have generously funded any number of non-transit programs thought the years, from bailing the county out of bankruptcy, to allowing the purchase of the 91 Freeway toll lanes, to allowing Measure M programs to be constructed years ahead of schedule. Now it’s time to return the favor.
Download our paper on how OCTA can save bus service.
Who are the Transit Advocates?
Here's a brief flyer introducing the Transit Advocates of Orange County, what the organization stands for, and our accomplishments in 2009-2010. Download the flyer..
