REPORT:
RIDERSHIP IS GROWING AT RTA
CommuterLink
buses experience significant
ridership
boost
More
than one year after the Riverside
Transit Agency (RTA) raised fares
for the first time in five years,
ridership aboard its buses has
begun to grow, at times significantly,
thanks largely to improved passenger
service and higher demand.
Compared
to this time last year, RTA’s
ridership as a whole is up nearly
2 percent. More specifically,
contracted fixed routes are up
roughly 11 percent, Dial a Ride
service jumped 12 percent and
CommuterLink service rocketed
45 percent. Directly operated
fixed routes remained about the
same.
“The
ridership growth that RTA is experiencing
demonstrates that the residents
of Riverside County want transportation
alternatives and will leave their
cars behind when quality public
transit services are available,”
said RTA Chair Jeff Fox. “We must
not forget that public transportation
reduces congestion, improves air
quality and reduces our dependence
on foreign oil. Public transit
is also one of the best ways to
beat the high cost of gas.”
Many
new RTA passengers, especially
those riding CommuterLink buses,
say record-high gas prices this
spring have prompted them to try
public transit. Also, new technologies
such as wireless Internet and
satellite television aboard RTA
buses have greatly enhanced the
riding experience. RTA is planning
to equip more buses with the popular
technology.
High
gas prices or not, RTA is focused
on keeping its passengers happy.
Last
month, RTA injected additional
service to its CommuterLink system
to keep up with the demand. RTA
recently hired Southland Transit
Inc. to operate Dial-A-Ride service,
and since then customer complaints
have dropped significantly. Upgrades
to schedules and routes are constantly
evolving to maximize customer
service. The Agency is also undergoing
a massive system wide analysis
to pinpoint other areas for improvement.
The results of that analysis are
expected later this year.
The
boost in ridership is a welcome
sight for RTA, which saw its numbers
decline after raising fares last
spring to offset rising operational
costs. Many transportation officials
say it takes more than a year
for ridership to resume to normal
after a fare increase.
Supervisor
John Tavaglione, a member of the
RTA Board of Directors, said the
ridership boost is good news for
the environment, too. RTA buses
run on compressed natural gas
(CNG), which is cleaner and less-expensive
than diesel fuel. In May, a gallon
of diesel fuel cost on average
$2.79, while a comparable gallon
of compressed natural gas cost
$1.29.
“The
Riverside Transit Agency was one
of the first public transit authorities
in the State of California to
convert its entire fleet to compressed
natural gas, and in doing so,
took a huge step in insuring cleaner
air for those who live in and
visit our county,” Tavaglione
said. “The move to CNG buses,
coupled with the recent increase
in riders on our public transit
system means less gas and diesel
automobiles on our county roads,
less congestion, and an even further
reduction in harmful emissions.”
The
Riverside Transit Agency provides
public transportation for Western
Riverside County, operating 38
fixed 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. |
