RTA Board of Directors Approves Sustainable Service Plan
Following several weeks of public outreach, surveys, and a public hearing, the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) Board of Directors has approved the agency’s Sustainable Service Plan, a blueprint for transit enhancements over the next three years. Several changes are in the works that aim to upgrade service to popular destinations, increase frequency, and improve connections between bus routes and Metrolink trains. In all, more than a dozen routes have been tagged for upgrades over the next three years.
Proposed adjustments for years two and three of the Sustainable Service Plan are contingent on ridership growth and available funding. With the reopening of businesses, return to in-person schooling, and popular new fare promotions, RTA is experiencing the highest ridership since the pandemic, but still lags behind pre-pandemic levels. RTA understands that where, when, and how people travel has changed over the past two years, and this plan is an opportunity to realign RTA's service delivery with changing travel needs, emerging travel patterns, and evolving demands for service.
SacRT and GET Bus Celebrate 50th Anniversaries
Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) and Golden Empire Transit District (GET Bus) are both celebrating 50 years in operation this year. In 1973, SacRT reminds us, a loaf of bread cost 27 cents, a gallon of gas cost 38 cents, and a single trip on the bus cost 25 cents. In April of the same year, the agency began operation, taking over for the city-owned Sacramento Transit Authority. SacRT is offering Free Transit Tuesdays on fixed-route bus and light rail every Tuesday during the month of April 2023. 
The agency is also hosting public pop-up events at different light rail stations and transit centers across the region during the month of April and is also running a special 50th anniversary edition bus and light rail train starting in April. They will offer immersive experiences with decals dotted with QR codes that will virtually connect riders to stories and videos about the agency’s history and achievements. GET Bus is also running 1973-themed buses to celebrate 50 years of movin' and groovin' around Bakersfield.
Santa Cruz METRO Welcomes new Board Chair and Vice Chair and Launches Reimagine Metro
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) appointed Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson as Board Chair and Kristen Brown as Vice Chair at its February 24 board meeting. Both positions serve one-year terms.
The new appointments come during METRO’s focus on growing ridership by supporting Santa Cruz County’s community and environment with programs like Youth Cruz Free, a program which allows K-12 students to ride METRO for free, and One Ride at a Time, which enables METRO riders to help protect the environment by earning rewards that benefit the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Bay of Life Fund. Additionally, METRO is under development on 248 affordable housing units on METRO owned properties.
Kalantari-Johnson becomes METRO Board Chair during her third year of her first term on the Santa Cruz City Council, where she has shown her commitment to economic recovery, affordable housing, community wellness, and social equity. As a consultant for community-based organizations during the last two decades, Kalantari-Johnson has led efforts to bring in funds and form partnerships to address issues such as immigration rights, juvenile justice, youth homelessness, and substance abuse prevention.
“It’s an honor to be selected as Chair of the METRO Board, especially as we launch new programs for riders and tackle the important issues of climate change and affordable housing for workers,” said Kalantari-Johnson.
In addition to becoming METRO’s Board Vice Chair, Kristen Brown is currently serving her second term as a member of the Capitola City Council. In 2020, Brown served as Mayor of the Capitola City Council. Brown has extensive experience creating partnerships and advancing the policy goals of community organizations, local, and federal government agencies, and private businesses.
METRO also welcomes two new Board appointments: Scott Newsome from the City of Santa Cruz and Vanessa Quiroz-Carter from the City of Watsonville.
In March, METRO began hosting hybrid Board of Director meetings, including both in-person and Zoom-based options.
METRO also recently launched Reimagine METRO, a project that examines every aspect of METRO’s route network, with a goal to make it more frequent, convenient, and reliable for riders. METRO recently held an online public forum to review early findings and invite input from the general public on Tuesday, March 14.
The forum follows four weeks of surveys and interviews with stakeholders and transit riders, in which riders were asked to share how often they commute on METRO, demographic information, and ideas about how routes can be improved.
“We’re thankful for the input about transit priorities that we’re receiving from riders and community members,” said METRO CEO/General Manager Michael Tree. For more information visit scmtd.com/ReimagineMETRO.