Metrolink to cut mid-day Inland Empire-Orange County Lines, fare increases, and cuts across nearly all lines
Metrolink's proposing some massive service cuts — along with a possible increase of up to 13% in fares plus elimination of some discounts — to solve a plunge in state and local transit funding. I've put together a map showing all of the proposed cuts to date, combined with the recent service cuts that put Orange County transit service in a hole:

The Transit Coalition says it best. In their most recent newsletters, they've summarized it as follows:
Metrolink is preparing for another round of service cuts and/or fare hikes. While the last round of cuts focused on trimming weekend service, current proposed cuts appear to decimate the Antelope Valley Line and the Ventura County Line, which may lose eleven and eight weekday trains, respectively. The San Bernardino Line would lose two trains on weekdays and Sundays and four trains on Saturday. The Inland Empire-Orange County Line would see four trains disappear on weekdays, and one train will terminate in Laguna Niguel instead of Oceanside.
Riders may also see a fare increase between 3% and 13.1%, depending on station pairs. Aside from the usual 3% to 6% increase, discounts would be eliminated or tempered for 10-trip and monthly passes, as well as senior/disabled, student, round-trip and weekend tickets. The proposed plan would also see the 80-mile cap on tickets lifted, meaning that the highest fare, Lancaster to Oceanside, would rise from $14 to $23.50. Those who wish to comment on the proposed fare hikes and/or service cuts may do so online at theMetrolink web site or in person at the public hearing on Friday, April 2. ...
Metrolink is one of the Southern California agencies proposing drastic service cuts to nip a $17 million budget shortfall. The Ventura County Starand the Los Angeles Daily News have provided coverage and editorials. Transit advocates have been meeting with Metrolink staff and directors to propose cost efficiencies by linking the spoke and hub train system into a series of corridors. For Ventura County and Antelope Valley Line riders that want to help save the service, you may join the TTC campaign, as we need volunteers aboard the trains to circulate line specific post cards linked above. Contact TTC to help.
If you'd like to comment, attend the Metrolink Board of Directors meeting on April 2, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), 818 W. Seventh Street, 12th Floor, Board Room, Los Angeles, CA 90017 read more→
Transit Advocates: Dígale al gobernador que firme La Ley Alternativa de Impuesto de Gas que restaura la financiación de autobuses
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Transit Advocates: Tell the governor: Sign new gas tax to restore bus funding
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Goodbye Cathy Green: transit advocate on OCTA's board

Last night, the coordinators behind the Transit Advocates of Orange County presented an award to Huntington Beach mayor and former OCTA director Cathy Green for her work on advocating for transit at the OCTA board level. Her term on the OCTA board recently expired. She helped preserve the 24-hour Night Owl bus service cuts for 6 months past its initial ending date, prevented some of the other boardmembers from following through with doubling bus service cuts this March, and was a brave voice for commuters on public transit. I took video of the awards presentation:
Her replacement, Huntington Beach Councilmember Hansen has some big shoes to fill on the OCTA board, especially since Huntington Beach just 2 complete bus lines (including route 74 plus service to Goldenwest College on the 62). Plus, Talbert (76) and Garfield and Main (172) have been cancelled on weekends, Bolsa Chica and Graham (21) now have no service during the mid-day, and Beach Blvd (29), Magnolia (33), and Brookhurst (35) all have faced frequency reduction. read more→
OCTA Weekly Update: major bus cuts, new Metrolink cars, and state jobs bill to benefit — what exactly?
Still behind in updates although this week should go more smoothly. Lots of restaurants to review, and lots of news to deliver. Meanwhile, I've pasted OCTA's last two weekly news updates below. read more→
Pase el mensaje sobre los recortes de autobús de este domingo
Expliquele a sus compañeros pasajeros que vienen recortes devastadores este domingo 14 de marzo.

Transit Advocates: Spread the word about Sunday's bus cuts
Spread the word about the March 2010 cuts

We are asking everyone to let your fellow bus riders know about the changes. Talk to the people waiting with you at the bus stops, and on the bus. If you have time to do more, you can spend a few hours riding lines back and forth making announcements, or talking to riders at busy stops.
The days we most need your help are Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, but you can start right away. Here are the bus cut “hot” routes:
21, 24, 29, 43, 47, 53, 59, 62, 70, 74, 75, 76, 86, 131, 147, 164, 172, 193, 693
Please tell us what routes or intersections you can cover. We'll coordinate everybody to cover routes. (Before Sunday, the best areas on the restructured routes are on the sections being chopped.)
Off-Ramps & People Movers & Monorails, Oh My…
Anaheim City Hall is certainly giddy about their Go Local project. Wait until you hear about the latest news from the OTHER Magic Kingdom.
Recently, our cohort Steven covered the various modes of transportation that the city was studying to connect the new ARTIC fortress with the rest of the Anaheim Resort, including (but not limited to) BRT, light rail, and a monorail. Knowing Anaheim officials and their “Shiny Ball Syndrome” (you know, like when a kid sees a shiny object and instantly becomes attracted to it and disregards whatever they were doing in the first place), the most favorable option was a monorail.
Meanwhile over at Mouse Headquarters, Disney officials are dealing with a real pain in terms of parking for the current Resort. As more people seem to drive cars to the Resort, parking has become a nightmare on a daily basis, so much so that Disney has now begun to direct guests over to satellite parking lots located on Disney Way and Harbor Boulevard and rent charter buses to bring them to the park.
Too bad people don’t realize they can use the 24 hour bus service on Harbor and Katella, along with the somewhat frequent service on Katella to travel to and from the Train Station and Angel Stadium. Oh wait- I just realized March in is a few weeks.
Do you smell a solution coming? read more→
Transit Advocates: Call your legislators today to save transit; Thanks for the meet & greet!
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Call local legislators today and Friday to save transit service.

