Riverside Transit and Omnitrans "Public Hearings" never close here

As mentioned last Friday, there are times where Inland Empire transit riders who have a legit and fact-based concern, submit their requests directly to a transit agency only to have their requests looked at for a moment, but not adopted for whatever reason it may be. To be fair, public transit agency staff are very busy and must remain impartial to the law and transportation policy. Official public hearing periods are also heavily regulated. More often than not, some requests cannot be fulfilled simply because it goes beyond the power of the transit agency. Transit riders are often tempted to think that their requests go ignored and are led to believe that what gets decided after a public hearing period is absolutely final.

Good news: Riders can voice their comments and opinion anytime, whether they're general requests, or for a specific project or proposal. The U.S. Constitution gives concerned citizens a right to express their opinion. The First Amendment has no time limits.

With that, The Transit Coalition and RTA's Transportation NOW serve as ongoing outlets for public opinion and suggestions related to transportation mobility. If there's a trivial obstruction, the agency or group in power will be held accountable, whether it be a special interest group, or a local, state or federal entity. As mentioned, TTC's positions are fact-based and led by independent concerned citizens without political spin. Everyday suggestions such as improved intercity transit options between regions, faster and more frequent service, more rail options, late night bus service, and combating wasteful government spending are compared with the facts and incorporated into our campaigns. Comments left on this blog, on our Facebook page, and through public engagement serve as foundations for our positions. 

As mentioned before, RTA's T-NOW is government led, but its meetings also provide an outlet for Riverside County transit riders to voice suggestions directly to top officials. Both groups are vital to have your voice considered anytime for better transit mobility in the Inland Empire. If you have any transit requests anywhere within Southern California, please contact us or post your opinion in the comments section.

"Public hearings" never close here.

Friday tips: Submit your comments to the Riverside Transit Agency

It's public hearing time at the Riverside Transit Agency. Do you have a few things to say about bus transit mobility in Riverside County?

RTA has five public comment agenda items on the table. This week's tip: Get your comments and opinion over to RTA.

RTA 10 Year Plan Survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RTACOA

RTA Short Range Transit Plan 2014-2016 and FY2014 budget:
http://www.riversidetransit.com/home/index.php/news-a-publications/latest-news/411-public-hearing-notice-on-the-riverside-transit-agency-proposed-short-range-transit-plan-2014-2016-and-fiscal-year-2014-budget

View the proposed 2014-2016 SRTP here.

RTA Dial-A-Ride No-Show policy changes:
http://www.riversidetransit.com/home/index.php/news-a-publications/latest-news/413-public-hearing-period-opens-for-dial-a-ride-policy-change-sp-439392648

RTA Title VI Policies and Plans:
http://www.riversidetransit.com/home/index.php/news-a-publications/latest-news/412-public-hearing-notice-on-the-riverside-transit-agency-proposed-title-vi-policies-and-plans

RTA Route 210/220 bus stop changes:
http://www.riversidetransit.com/home/index.php/news-a-publications/rider-alerts/426-rta-proposes-consolidation-of-pass-area-bus-stops

Get your comments to RTA at (951) 565-5002 or email to comments@riversidetransit.com no later than June 26. The 10 Year Plan Survey will be open through the fall.

RTA's 2014-2016 SRTP: Evening and Late night bus service

According to RTA and numerous Transit Coalition field studies, "demand for later service has been on the rise." RTA has proposed later evening and potential late night bus service service on major regional and local routes over the course of the next three years.

RTA has planned to begin implementing later evening and possible late night service with routes that serve major destinations such as large employment centers and colleges and universities. In FY2013-14, RTA has proposed to expand the service span of Routes 1, 15, 16, 18, 20, 31, and 32 into the later hours of the night.

Currently, service span for many of RTA's bus routes ends shortly after the evening peak hour. This prevents several retail and entertainment sector employees who work into the late night hours from using the bus system to return home. Lack of public funding has long been a major hurdle and RTA has worked hard to allocate such money to extend the span of service for these routes.

Public-Private and Inter-agency Partnerships for expanded service span

Several transit agencies including RTA have entered into public-private and inter-agency partnerships in the past to quickly fund expanded service. Here are few within the Inland Empire:

• Metrolink Rail 2 Rail® is a cooperative ticket and service program provided by Metrolink, Amtrak and Caltrans. The Rail 2 Rail® program allows Metrolink monthly pass holders along the Orange and Ventura County corridors to travel on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains within the station pairs of their pass at no additional charge, including late night and weekend trains. 
• Coaster Rail 2 Rail® COASTER monthly pass holders can purchase a Rail2Rail-UPGRADE by visiting the Amtrak ticket offi ce in Oceanside, Solana Beach or San Diego Santa Fe Depot to ride the extra Pacific Surfliner trains.
• RTA Route 55 - Temecula Trolley - A local home developer started a high school shuttle service in Temecula. The city currently maintains full funding of the RTA-operated route.
• NCTD 388/389 - Pala-Escondido - Through the Reservation Transportation Authority, a federal 5311(c) grant funds expanded service of a regional connector and casino hopper bus route in inland San Diego county. NCTD operates the line with a regular local fare policy. Last bus leaves the casinos during the 9PM hour.
• The Job Access and Reverse Commute federal program funds expanded trips along selected RTA CommuterLink routes. 

Here are some additional partnership concepts local officials may want to consider:

• Major entertainment destinations in Orange County: With partnerships with major sports centers, the Disneyland Resort, and beach destinations, additional express buses can be added for the SR-91 Corridor between Riverside and Orange County for both customers and employees from early morning until late night with potential owl service on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Pechanga Resort & Casino currently offers several bus trips for its Player's Club members from all around Southern California. Through a small agreement, pick-up and drop-off locations can be established at public transit centers or along the adjacent street and such connections can be included in the RTA schedules.
• Fantasy Springs, Morongo Casinos: Like Pechanga, these large casino resorts operate adjacent to the I-10 corridor between the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley. Such a partnership can help support the existing peak-only express service between the regions during off-peak hours for casino patrons and employees.
• Bus Wraps: Branded vehicle advertising from the entertainment sector would provide additional late night service revenue.
• Use of Smaller Buses for Late Night Runs: Based on ridership data from other transit agencies offering such service, use of smaller buses for lower-demand late night runs will help keep agency costs low for routes operating near RTA bus yards. For example, the former Bear Runner Shuttle used a 15-seat passenger bus while the daytime Highlander Hauler used a larger trolley bus.
• Transit Oriented Development with developer-funded capital investments at RTA station stops, transit centers, and high density bus lines.

Don't ditch your Dial-a-Ride pick up appointment

The Riverside Transit Agency has been proactive in curbing unnecessary spending for its paratransit service. As reported, RTA's paratransit service accounts for the majority of its operating budget and better policing paratransit bus spending is vital. RTA is exploring a revision of its policies aimed to reduce chronic no-show's for Dial-A-Ride bus appointments. No shows who ditch their ride create an unfair inconvenience for other passengers and waste RTA's operating resources paid for by the taxpayer. RTA must therefore do whatever the agency can do to minimize such government waste.

RTA proposes to measure the systemwide average for no shows and then identify passengers who significantly exceed this average.  Prior to suspending chronic no show passengers, RTA will conduct a detailed review of such riders’ trip history and no show frequency in compliance with FTA guidance.

After the end of each month, RTA will review passenger no show rates and compare the figures against the system-wide average. Passengers found to exceed twice the system-wide rate may be subject to suspension of services.

RTA plans to set up the following process for those who ditch the Dial-a-Ride one too many times:

• Passengers in violation of the policy will receive a warning on the first offense.
• Subsequent non-compliance could result in suspension of services for seven calendar days.
• RTA also proposes to issue 30-day notifications to chronic no shows prior to suspension which would include an appeals process in fairness of the passenger.

Have an opinion or idea to streamline RTA's paratransit services and combat government waste? Stay tuned for a public hearing period.

Comment on the Mid County Parkway EIR/EIS

(2/11/13) – IE Transit Talking Points Short

The Riverside County Transportation Commission will host a public hearing on a Recirculated Draft EIR/Supplemental Draft EIS for the Mid County Parkway project on February 20, 2013.

Mid County Parkway EIR/EIS Public Hearing

February 20, 2013, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Lakeside Middle School
27720 Walnut Street, Perris, CA 92571

The Mid County Parkway project will basically convert the existing Ramona Expressway corridor between north Perris and San Jacinto into a freeway with three lanes in each direction which would attract economic growth and development to the area.

There are two ways this growth can go: The growth could go unchecked with single family housing, shopping centers and sprawl dominating the development, or a desired growth in robust marketplace employment hubs in Perris, northern Hemet, and San Jacinto together with a small downtown district and mixed use center to support the existing rural housing in Lakeview.

Expressway-to-freeway conversions tend to encourage suburban sprawl beyond urban centers and put more demand on roads and greater dependence on the automobile. RCTC reports that the Mid County Parkway would support future builds of carpool lanes and park-and-ride lots, but such facilities would not be part of the original project.

Both the incorporated cities and the County of Riverside need to revisit their land-use plans to prevent the new freeway from opening the door to exacerbated suburban sprawl and possible gridlock at the I-215 Interchange. Here are some land-use designation ideas which would encourage better growth and address the region's high unemployment rate:

Growth/Land-use designation ideas:

North Perris:Manufacturing and logistics jobs

North of Lakeview: Agricultural/farming

Lakeview: Rural ranch housing supported by
 a small mixed-use downtown district (condos/lofts over retail).

North Hemet/San Jacinto: Manufacturing jobs
All Undeveloped Hillsides: Open Space/Parkland