The
following actions were taken
during the RTA’s Board of
Directors monthly meeting
on Thursday, October 27, 2005:
RTA
officials unveiled a new,
state-of-the-art Compressed
Natural Gas fueling station
Thursday that will power
the Agency’s buses and help
promote the region’s use of
cleaner-burning fuel. The
gas provided by the $1.5 million
station will produce fewer
emissions and cost less than
diesel fuel. RTA Chairman
Jim Ayres presided over an
outdoor ceremony to commemorate
the new station, saying RTA’s
decision to switch to CNG
four years ago was a major
step in the effort to clean
the region’s air. The new
CNG station is capable of
fueling a bus in about fi
ve minutes. That’s a major
improvement from the Agency’s
now-outdated fueling station,
which is a decade old and
fuels a vehicle in about
12 minutes. Less time fueling
means more productivity for
RTA employees who maintain
and clean the buses every
night.
RTA
employees were saluted for
donating their time and money
to help victims of Hurricane
Katrina get back on their
feet. Chairman Jim Ayres commended
coach operators Art Guerrero,
Orleta Gutierez, Lisa Colores
and Lolo Reveles for spearheading
various fund-raisers that
netted nearly $3,000. RTA
employees also helped evacuees
at the Riverside County Operations
Center, which processed more
than 1,650 people, linking
them to employment, medical
assistance, social services
and transportation. Additionally,
RTA offered free bus passes
to families and individuals
arriving to the Inland area
in the wake of the hurricane.
Board
members approved a $1.5 million
contract with Creative Bus
Sales Inc. to purchase 34
new vehicles for its Dial-A-Ride
fl eet. The vehicles will
replace those in the Agency
that have exceeded their
intended service life. Twelve
of the vehicles can seat up
to 12 people and will be used
mainly to transport disabled
riders. Twenty-two of the
vehicles will be smaller,
more-economical minivans that
can either seat four ambulatory
passengers or two passengers
who use wheelchairs. The action
will bring the total number
of minivans in the Agency’s
fl eet to 27. The new vehicles
are expected to arrive this
winter.
Board
members discussed the impact
of high gas prices on RTA’s
operating budget. Record-high
gas prices have pushed the
Agency’s fuel budget to higher
levels than anticipated. Staff
will recommend this fall,
as part of the mid-year budget
adjustment process, a budget
amendment to offset the increase
in fuel costs expected this
fi scal year. Steps are already
being taken to address the
rising price of fuel. One
major initiative is the introduction
of a smaller, more fuel-efficient
minivan for Dial-A-Ride service.
The estimated fuel mileage
for the minivan is twice that
of a standard paratransit
vehicle.
RTA’s
legislative lobbyist David
Turch told board members Thursday
there is only a “remote possibility”
that recently approved money
to build the nation’s roads
would be diverted to pay for
hurricane relief efforts.
Some lawmakers have reportedly
identifi ed the $286 billion
transportation bill that passed
in July as a potential funding
source for the reconstruction
effort. The bill earmarks
$244 million for Riverside
and San Bernardino county
projects, including an transit
center in Temecula for RTA
buses.
A
presentation showed that RTA,
which is self-insured for
Workers’ Compensation Benefits,
is confi dent that its assets
are sufficient to pay for
any potential losses stemming
from Workers’ Compensation
claims. Between June 2004
and June 2005, RTA’s reserves
for losses and claims dropped
by $218,000, and its estimated
outstanding loses dropped
by nearly $900,000. The declines
are largely attributed to
beefed-up safety initiatives
designed to protect RTA employees
from on-the-job injuries.
The
next board meeting will be
held on Thursday, November
17 at 2 p.m. For more information,
contact: Bradley Weaver, Communications
Specialist (951) 565-5172
bweaver@riversidetransit.com |
