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The following actions were taken during the RTA’s Board of Directorsmonthly meeting on Thursday, October 25, 2007:
Board members closed a month-long public hearing period that solicited comments from dozensof people regarding proposed changes to various routes, including 1, 7, 8, 14, 33, 36, 38, 50, 61,204, 206, 208 and the Jurupa Shuttle. The Agency is also proposing the cancellation of Route16E and the creation of Route 210, a CommuterLink route that would travel Highway 60, linkingthe communities of Banning, Beaumont and Calimesa with Moreno Valley and Riverside. Dur-ing the public hearing period, RTA hosted a series of community meetings in Beaumont, Corona,Calimesa, Hemet, Glen Avon, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Riverside, Sun City and Temecula.The public also had the opportunity to submit comments by mail, at RTA’s website, e-mail, phoneand at RTA’s Riverside offi ce. All comments will be considered before a fi nal recommendationis given to board members for their consideration at their November 7 meeting. The proposedchanges are the result of increasing ridership and the recently completed Comprehensive Opera-tional Analysis, an intensive study that identifi ed ways for the Agency to meet the transit needsof the growing region.
Board members approved the creation of two new passes for customers. The fi rst pass, an an-nual pass, would give customers a signifi cant discount over cash fares and enable passengers tocarry just one card for an entire year. The pass will cost $450 for general customers, and $375and $220 for youth and senior/disabled passengers, respectively. The pass would be sold at RTAHeadquarters, through the mail or RTA website. The second pass, a trolley day pass, will benefi triders on the downtown Riverside trolley lines, costing 75 cents for general customers, and 35cents for senior/disabled. The trolley passes would be available at participating downtown outletsand at RTA’s Riverside headquarters.
As part of a test program to reduce emissions, RTA will partner with the California AirResources Board to convert an existing Dial-A-Ride vehicle into a hydraulic hybrid. Thehybrid’s braking system would convert energy normally lost during braking and store it ashigh-pressure hydraulic fl uid, which will be used later for acceleration. This technology has theability to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions as well as extend brake life.
A quarterly assessment of RTA’s farebox recovery ratio shows the Agency in good condition.RTA’s farebox ratio for the fi rst quarter of Fiscal Year 2007 was 20.94 percent, which exceedsthe state’s minimum requirement of 17.66 percent. The farebox ratio measures the portion of thetransit system’s operating costs covered by customer fares.
Board members approved a list of holiday events in which RTA buses will participate. BetweenNov. 10 and Dec. 8, the Agency will participate in more than a dozen events, including parades,displays, shopper trolleys and other special events. The bulk of the events are parades to be heldin cities such as Perris, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Temecula, Hemet and Beaumont.
New information shows the Agency continuing to meet or exceed all required performancestandards identifi ed in the Productivity Improvement Program, or PIP. The program requires thetracking over time of key performance indicators related to revenues, expenses and passengercounts. The program is designed to help the agency maintain effective and effi cient service byidentifying areas for upgrades or modifications.
The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 7 at 2 p.m.
For more information, contact:
Bradley Weaver, Marketing Manager
(951) 565-5172
bweaver@riversidetransit.com
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