February 2007

The following actions were taken during the RTA’s Board of Directors monthly meeting on Thursday, February 22, 2007:

Newspapers to Debut on RTA Buses

Riverside County residents will soon get an added incentive to ride the bus thanks to a decision made by Board members Thursday. RTA and the Press-Enterprise have teamed up to provide newspapers to passengers on CommuterLink routes, the Crest Cruiser and Jury Trolley buses. The Press-Enterprise will install and maintain the racks behind the driver seating area, and passengers will pay for the newspapers via the farebox. The pilot program could produce additional revenue for the Agency and provide RTA’s loyal customers with a greater travel experience.

January Ridership on the Rise

New data shows RTA ridership on the rise for the ninth straight month. In January, the Agency logged 571,325 riders, which is an increase of 2.41 percent compared to this time last •scal year. Directly operated routes grew on average one-half percent, contracted routes increased
11.6 percent and the number of people using Dial-A-Ride went up 14.5 percent.

Passengers Reaping Rewards of 10-Tripper

The new 10-Tripper Pass continues to gain momentum among passengers, according to a report provided to Board members today. An assessment of the 10-Tripper showed on-board sales climbed 66 percent between December and January. Costing $11, the pass is a savings when one considers that ten full-fare trips cost $12.50. The pass caters to riders who like the •exibility of traveling without paying cash each time they board the bus. Customers can buy the passes on RTA buses, on the RTA website and at pass outlets.

Taxi Program Gets Boost

Board members approved a recommendation to increase funding for expanded taxi services to assist with the Agency's Dial-A-Ride program. Since 2004, RTA has relied on taxicabs to transport senior citizens and persons with disabilities that would otherwise be denied service because of system capacity restraints on the regular Dial-A-Ride vehicles. Dial-A-Ride's popularity has exceeded staff predications, prompting the approved request to boost taxi service by an additional 3,814 hours through the end of the • scal year.

The next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, March 22 at 2 p.m.

For more information, contact:
Bradley Weaver, Communications Specialist (951) 565-5172
bweaver@riversidetransit.com