A California Transit Association survey of its members reveals that transit providers throughout the state may have to resort to fare hikes, service cuts or some combination of the two in order to make up for the massive reduction of operations funding expected in a final revision of the 2008-09 state budget. The data provides details on potential (or already enacted) fare hikes, service cuts and job losses faced by transit systems throughout the state. It also includes some eye-opening figures regarding transit ridership demographics, and lists capital improvement projects that have been delayed or eliminated due to inadequate state funding.

Click here to view a summary of the survey data.

The latest budget proposal from legislative leaders allocates $150 million to the State Transit Assistance (STA) Program, which is the only ongoing source of state funding for day-to-day transit operations. That represents a reduction of more than 50 percent from the $306 million STA allocation that was included in the budget passed and signed in September, and reflects the diversion of 92 percent of available transit-dedicated revenues to other non-transit purposes.

The legislative proposal seeks to maintain the STA at an annual $150 million level. Meanwhile, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for the complete elimination of the STA beginning in fiscal year 2009-10. STA accounts for as much as 68 percent of the annual operating budget for some transit agencies in California.