RTA
TO EXPAND COMMUTERLINK BUS SERVICE
BETWEEN CORONA AND TEMECULA
Rising
gas prices cited for spike in
ridership
A
boom in ridership has prompted
RTA to add another bus to CommuterLink
Route 206 to improve service between
Temecula and Corona.
Ridership
on the popular route has grown
by 61 percent in less than a month,
causing overcrowding aboard the
afternoon CommuterLink buses that
depart the Corona Metrolink station.
Many customers aboard the buses
say rising gas prices have prompted
them to ride the CommuterLink
bus, which travels along Interstate
15 and serves the cities of Temecula,
Murrieta, Lake Elsinore and Corona.
Weekly
ridership on Route 206 has grown
to a current 806 from 500 in mid-April.
At the same time, the current
average price for a gallon of
gas has skyrocketed to $3.44 from
$3.01 a month ago, according to
the Automobile Club of Southern
California.
The
new CommuterLink bus is designed
to serve commuters arriving to
the Corona Metrolink station on
the 5:01 p.m. train, Number 804
from downtown Los Angeles. RTA’s
regular schedule will continue
to provide bus transportation
to passengers arriving on later
trains at 5:22 p.m., 5:45 p.m.
and 6:29 p.m. “The increased ridership
on Route 206 is good news, and
it shows that a growing number
of commuters are trading their
car keys for a bus ticket,” said
spokesman Bradley Weaver. “High
gas prices or not, RTA is committed
to delivering an attractive alternative
to the automobile.”
RTA’s
CommuterLink routes offer rapid
service to destinations in San
Diego County, Riverside, Corona
and Montclair. Passengers pay
$2.25 each way, or they can save
money by using 31-Day or 7-Day
passes, which cost $43 and $12,
respectively.
The
Riverside Transit Agency provides
public transportation for Western
Riverside County, operating 38
fi xed routes, 5 commuter routes
and 15 demand response services.
RTA’s service area spans 2,500
square miles, the second-largest
in the nation. For bus route and
schedule information contact RTA
at (800) 800-7821 or log on to
our Web site at www.RiversideTransit.com. |
