Californians have to wait again

The 2013 state legislative session concluded last Friday with the Legislature scheduled to reconvene January 6, 2014. Generally, the state government has once again failed to pass legislation that will allow the private sector to improve the state's market economy and the state's spending spree under the will of labor groups continues. Between the state and local governments, Californians owe nearly $850 billion in debt, and that figure will likely top $1 trillion according to a report by The California Public Policy Center if the public wage and pension madness continues in the state.

That debt can never be paid off or controlled under the current economic and political climate no matter how high taxes are increased. In August, we've called for the state to take action on this spending fiasco problem by passing fair and sound legislation. Trivial regulations have sapped marketplace economic expansion. Government misspending and high public employee salaries have led to overpriced and delayed transportation infrastructure and operations. Both controversies place heavy obstructions on getting Southern California moving with a first-rate transit system. So what kinds of bills did the Legislature actually send to Governor Jerry Brown? How did the lawmakers fare in solving our transportation problems from the state level? Let's take a look at few:

CEQA Reform - Under current law, loopholes in the landmark legislation allow just about anybody with a lawyer to send any major development project to court whether or not such development would actually negate the environment. This undoubtedly inflates costs.

Guess what? Significant reform will have to wait until 2014. Instead, the state approved special favor legislation that would speed up the judicial review process of any lawsuits filed specifically against the replacement of an NBA sports arena in Sacramento. To be fair, the new arena will serve as a replacement venue from the existing Sleep Train Arena and the facility will be developed in the downtown area. We'll take a closer look at this project before making a judgment, but granting special favors and exemptions in general is certainly not fair public policy. By the way, local officials in Riverside County requested a similar favor when the Metrolink Perris Valley Line was stalled in court; that never became law. 

Wage Reform and California's Market Economy - We've called on the state to seriously reform public employee wages and pensions to match salaries offered in the marketplace. We've pushed for the state to support legislation that would allow the private sector to invest in the state's economy without directly dumping any public money into the marketplace. That would have increased the value of worker wages and benefits. A strong labor workforce fuels our transportation systems with the resources needed to operate. Such policy would be a win-win for both businesses and their workers. Did the state and unions propose productive legislation like that?

Nope. Instead, the state approved a bill that would hike California's minimum wage to $10 per hour by 2016 in a vain attempt to prop up the economy. Brown reported that he would sign the bill into law. To be fair, many working Californians will see an increase in take home pay and may be inclined to spend more. Although it looks fine on the surface, the value of the wage dollar will only go up under a robust economy and the abundance of marketplace jobs. Under the current political climate and job market, that's not going to happen. Instead, Californians are going to see the dollar further inflated and devalued if nothing is done to improve the state economy.

To make up for the losses, businesses are going to have to increase their prices or cut positions. That's a reality. Just wait and see how much you'll be paying for a Big Mac a few years from now. Also, with the devalued dollar in the state, fed up Californians and businesses may simply move out.

The state had better whip up some plans to make California a better place to do business and fast. The state needs to cut out trivial state regulations so that the wage hike doesn't worsen a soft state economy nor cause a cost hike of already overpriced transportation infrastructure projects. Specifically, California will need to get its economic level to match the robust economic times of 1968 where the value of a $2-per-hour federal minimum wage spiked over $10 in today's currency. This must be done without inducing pollution, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, or corporate corruption. You want a high minimum wage? That's how it's going to work for the economy. In fairness, the state did pass modest public pension reforms last year and is fighting to keep the legislation active in federal court. However, much more must be done to get California's economy back to a robust state. 

Clean Air - On the pollution front, things aren't so bad. China's top climate negotiator and Brown signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Friday to combat dirty Chinese air. The MOU does reference heavily on global warming, still a debatable topic, but the fact is that China's pollution remains at disastrous and unhealthful levels and must be controlled. The focus certainly should be about protecting the lives and the health of the Chinese with clean air, especially given that much of our consumables are manufactured there. We'll see if this MOU does anything to clean up China's disgraceful air quality.

We'll continue to analyze what's happening up in Sacramento and see how the proposed laws will impact the future of Inland Empire mass transit. However, it generally looks like fair and sound legislation to fix California's transportation system with a strong and productive marketplace labor workforce is going to have to wait again.

Are Atlanta's Interstate 85 Toll Lanes really Lexus Lanes?

A new report has given a high occupancy toll lane system in Atlanta a possible "Lexus Lane" label, a term used to show that highway toll lanes are just for the wealthy. Here in Southern California, numerous public agencies have conducted studies on HOT lanes and their results seriously question this notion. So does Atlanta really have Lexus Lanes? Here's an analysis.

Analysis of the study A Highway for All?

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), an Atlanta-based regional nonprofit organization engaged in environmental advocacy, including promoting more sustainable transportation policies, compiled the report A Highway for All? It suggests that the I-85 Express Lanes primarily caters to wealthy drivers and thus contributes toward income inequality. The high occupancy toll lane system mandates a Peach Pass transponder for all vehicles and has a carpool requirement of 3 or more for free travel. It spans 16 miles on the northern end of Atlanta from Old Peachtree Road to Chamblee Tucker Road.

The report starts off describing the presence of other HOT lane systems throughout the country, the state's plans to expand the toll lane network to other Atlanta freeways, and then it jumps into the debate regarding income demographics:

Three general approaches have been used to assess the equity impacts of managed lanes. The first and most common approach uses driver opinion and willingness-to-pay surveys to discern whether low-income drivers have different opinions of managed lanes than higher-income drivers. The second approach examines whether low-income drivers enroll in the managed lane tolling program or obtain toll transponders at differing rates than higher-income drivers. The third and least common approach examines actual data to determine whether managed lane use changes with income level. As a whole, these studies find that drivers of all income groups share similar opinions of the lanes, enroll in the tolling programs at comparable rates, and on occasion use the lanes. However, the studies of actual use data find that low-income drivers use managed lanes less frequently than their higher-income counterparts.

San Diego County I-15 Express Lanes with
free non-transponder 2+ carpooling

And that last point is true. Most agencies concur that many toll-paying HOT lane patrons don't use the lanes every day, but at times when they need a fast travel option. For instance, we at A Better Inland Empire have a standard FasTrak transponder and use the high occupancy toll lane systems along both the SR-91 into Orange County and the I-15 in San Diego County when traveling to/from those areas, but certainly not on a daily basis. Many of our trips are also toll free carpool trips. We'll get to that in a moment. Regarding the surveys, we'll have to search for and take a look at the specific questions asked and where the surveys were sent out before making a judgement. The fact also remains that there are significant groups of people who are willing to buy their way into a carpool lane to bypass traffic.

Not surprisingly, Georgia state officials disagree with A Highway for All? The State Road and Tollway Authority told WSB-TV News, "With respect to the top ZIP codes, the report shows that the people most likely to use the lanes are those who live near the top end of the corridor. When you compare the top five median income ZIP codes map to the top five highest-use ZIP codes map, only two of the ZIP codes overlap." That's true. According to the report, here are the top five Atlanta ZIP codes that use the toll lanes: 30019, 30024, 30043, 30519, and 30548. Those areas anchor the northern endpoint area of the toll lanes. Factor in households making more than $80,000 per year and that leaves 30019 and 30024. By the way, that's household income, not individuals. The possibility of multiple workers living under a single roof has not been ruled out. Then, we have the carpool factor.

Carpools with Peach Pass toll transponder travel free

We'll keep this short. Carpools 3 or more with a Peach Pass transponder can travel in the I-85 Express Lanes free. Do we have any specific information on what percentages of the top five ZIP codes are toll free carpoolers? That remains unanswered. To be fair, when an agency mandates a toll transponder for free carpoolers, the free carpool-to-toll ratio generally leans more toward more toll-paying traffic as the extra capacity left behind by displaced non-registered carpoolers is sold to toll paying traffic.

Some points that A Highway for All and we recommend to officials...

The report does make two valid recommendations of fixing this toll lane system. Let's take a look.

Maximize Carpool Access: Before they were converted into HOT lanes, the managed lanes on I-85 were operated as carpool lanes. As part of this conversion, the occupancy requirement for high-occupancy vehicles was raised from two-persons to three. This change deters the formation of carpools and makes it more difficult for lower-income drivers to utilize the lanes via the untolled carpool option. Future toll lane proposals in the metro Atlanta region contemplate eliminating the high-occupancy option altogether. Allowing two-person carpools to utilize the region’s managed lanes is sound policy both from an equity and a transportation performance perspective.

Concept: 91 Express Lanes with free
non-transponder 3+ carpooling

While the 2+ occupancy requirement could be questioned if local carpool lanes are congested, adopting free non-transponder 3+ carpooling during peak congestion and 2+ carpooling at other times would be sound and fair policy as The Transit Coalition has been advocating.

We do understand that changing a congested carpool lane's occupancy requirement from 2 to 3 will be somewhat chaotic as 2-person carpools would be displaced, but implementing a strong marketing campaign to form 3+ carpools, vanpools, and upgrading express transit services prior to implementation would offset much of that. Such a campaign to form 3+ carpools would have to include abolishing the mandate to register for a toll transponder.

While we're on that topic, proposals of placing mandatory tolls and transponder mandates on carpoolers is irresponsible; that will drive HOV's out of the express lanes and lure more toll-paying non-HOV's into the lanes. In addition, long term planning should include doubling the HOT lane capacity with two express lanes in each direction which could make free non-transponder 2+ carpooling a feasible option with strict land use controls to combat urban sprawl in the outer regions and direct access ramps to adjacent park & ride lots and transit stations for HOV's. Speaking of that...

Use Toll Revenue to Fund Parallel Transit Service: Transit vehicles use managed lanes free of charge, and managed lane supporters argue that low-income commuters can benefit from these projects by using transit. However, this argument assumes the existence and sufficiency of transit service in the managed lane corridor. Using a portion of toll revenues from the managed lanes to fund transit service in the corridor ensures that this untolled option exists. A number of states have adopted laws requiring toll lane revenues to be flexed to support parallel transit service as mitigation strategy, and Georgia should do the same.

While the income argument is certainly debatable, having bus infrastructure and all day express transit services in place is certainly a desirable option. Do you ever wonder why we advocate for bus transit infrastructure on proposed high occupancy toll lanes with services from early morning to late night?

Lexus Lanes?

Is the I-85 Express Lanes, let alone HOT lanes in general A Highway for All? Based on the facts, the I-85 Lexus Lanes are not just for the rich. However if agencies in Atlanta together with LA Metro, OCTA and RCTC want to move more people in its express lanes than cars, the mandatory tolls for HOV's and the transponder mandate needs to be dropped. We want toll lanes done right.

Do California bullet train opponents actually want high speed rail done right?

Political Columnist Dan Walters for the Sacramento Bee has long been a critic of the California High Speed Rail Authority, stirring up debate in the public arena. His library of published op-ed commentaries and newspaper columns make some valid points and objections for the statewide high speed train project: Quoted costs are much higher than projected. Public support is down. State law is being spun to the point where legit lawsuits against the project are being filed. Judges are ordering the Brown administration not to bend or go around the rules of the game. Here's one of his latest pieces. The fact that public employee pensions are also above what is offered in the private marketplace certainly does not help; that contributes to inflated costs.

So it may appear that many informed Californians oppose high speed rail for the Golden State. Well, not exactly. While many rightly question the state-sponsored CHSRA bullet train project and voice legit objections toward its business plan, they may actually generally support the concept of having fast moving passenger trains as means to get from here to there. A better way to look at it is Californian's don't want high speed rail done wrong as the statewide bullet train is clearly demonstrating.

The evidence of such a notion continues to build and is becoming more clearer everyday. In Riverside, numerous grade separation projects are already in place for the BNSF rail line between downtown and the I-15 freeway which will allow for existing trains to travel faster. This is already demonstrated in South Orange County between Mission Viejo and Tustin. Similar projects are in place for eastern Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley. If officials finish this master plan and then electrify existing Metrolink, Coaster, and Amtrak trains without interfering with the freight trains, local high speed rail can be a reality without the bloated price tag.

Even Walters published this piece advocating for a high speed rail connection for the I-15 freeway corridor between San Diego and Ontario with direct airport connections. He believes such a connection will better distribute traffic flow between the two airports. Of course, the political madness with the Ontario Airport has to be resolved in order to entice airlines to land their flights there.

Just to refresh the public's memory, Walter's HSR idea is indeed already part of the statewide bullet train master plan that he appears to oppose. Therefore, it may be clear that he and other critics want high speed rail done right. By the way, the Riverside County Transportation Commission studied the feasibility for inland I-15 train service locally back in 2005 and 2008. Cost is a huge challenge and will require private investment mainly due to numerous hills, soft soil, and lack of dedicated right-of-way.  The private sector will need to be inclined to find ways to make tunnel boring more affordable or explore how electrified linear motors can be integrated for steel-wheel trains to better transverse steeper grades.

If the local public agencies can get together, plan this portion of the rail line the right way, establish additional commuter-oriented runs, and tie the endpoints into existing intercity rail corridors for corridor-based service, that could entice private investment for the remainder of the Southern California portions for statewide high speed rail and create a productive and profitable Los Angeles to San Diego high speed rail line via the Inland Empire. That's high speed rail done right.

For the record, as shown by comments left on Walter's op-ed, San Diego did undergo an airport expansion as reported here to address capacity issues and infrastructure for international flights.

The pension madness gets even worse

A troubling trend has started on this blog. It seems like about every other day during the second half of August, we mention something about government waste and how it negates the Inland Empire public transportation system.

Yesterday, the Associated Press discovered that special interest lobbyists from private entities are receiving taxpayer-funded pension packages which includes non-government entities in California. The public should be outraged over this finding. While it's fine for a lobbyist directly employed by a government agency and advocating under his/her elected governing board to receive such perks, the situation is much different with the private sector.

As private entities, such lobby groups have no public oversight of their activities and can lobby for policies which conflicts against the will of the people. Furthermore, such benefits unfairly drain precious resources from public coffers. Those are reasons enough to ban such a practice. According to the AP, New Jersey and Illinois are two states considering legislation to stop this madness.

Illinois Rep. Elaine Nekritz stated, "It's a question of, 'Why are we providing government pensions to these private organizations?'"

Fiscal Impacts

To be fair, the AP did mention that the staffs of the involved lobby groups are small enough not to make a grave fiscal impact on the public pension system. That's understandable, but this situation is still serious enough to be classified as wasting public money. Throw in Stephen Acquario, the executive director and general counsel of the New York State Association of Counties, who was featured in the AP story.

"We want the people that work in local governments to continue to be part of the solution," he said. "We represent the same taxpayers." According to the AP, Acquario argues that his group gives local government a voice in the statehouse, and the perk of a state pension makes it easier to hire people with government expertise.

We get his points. It's understandable that private lobby groups provide the public with a greater voice and it's no question that adding a pension perk into a job opening will draw more applicants. However, taxpayers should not be taking care of a private lobbyist's retirement package. Right now, there are taxpayers who may disagree with positions by private lobby groups, but are paying into their employee's benefits. That has to stop.

The Transit Coalition's advocacy work

The Transit Coalition too lobbies its transportation positions to top officials. We are a dedicated, grassroots, all-volunteer organization that advocates a balance between many transportation modes. Our interest is in improving bus, rail, bike, airport access, goods movement, physically challenged access, and private automobile transportation in Southern California. Therefore, we have an understanding of what concerned citizen lobbying is supposted to entail, but since when are we entitled to taxpayer funded retirement benefits?

As much as we independently put together fact-based positions to give transit riders a voice, the public has every right to question and disagree with what we advocate. Those who disagree with us should not have to pay into the Coalition's campaigns through their taxes, and for the record, they do not. However, to those who do agree: We invite you to donate to The Transit Coalition.

If private entities want to lobby to the state and feds, they have every right to do so. However, they need to play the game by the rules. Entities should sell their positions to the public and business sector and pay their lobbyists through collected donations and sponsorships. However, we the people should not be in a position to pay for their operations through our taxes. If you ever wonder why we cannot afford to expand our transit operations and infrastructure despite our high taxes, this would be one of several examples.

What happens to transit when the U.S. Department of Labor bows to labor unions?

It is nearly a stone-cold fact that the U.S. Department of Labor is currently in full support of the will of special interest labor groups. The agency is spinning federal law in a way that penalizes our local transit agencies without due process just because California wants to--at least--begin to contain the out-of-control pension madness fire.

The federal government clearly has the power both from Congress and the White House to stop this political football game right now which is occurring in the Labor Department. Here's what's at stake: The 1964 Urban Mass Transportation Act gave Labor Secretary Tomas Perez authority to hold federal transit grants as a means to hold transit agencies responsible for respecting their worker's rights to bargain collectively. In this day in age, that clause is questionable; a more sensible approach is to hold those in power directly accountable for respecting the basic rights of workers. If an agency manager unlawfully retaliates a group of employees for organizing or bargaining, fine him or lock him up. Don't subject innocent citizens to public service disruptions.

The Rights of...Job Applicants?

When the labor unions cited the 1964 law and complained to the feds, they relied on the rights of non-hired future employees to back up their claim. Perez' unwillingness to take exception to this notion clearly overreaches the power of his office. Many fair-minded individuals and several newspapers conclude that California's Public Employee Pension Reform Act actually does not wipe out a worker's right to assemble, organize and to bargain collectively. What the law did was close up loopholes to stop unjustified and unfunded hikes to pensions for future workers who apply for the job.

In other words, what the special interests object to--and what Perez is bowing toward--is taking bargaining and benefit rights away from those who are not even on the payrolls of California transit agencies. Since when does a non-employee of a transit agency have the same rights of those on the payroll? This misguided madness is now placing the budgets of our transit agencies in limbo.

Any fair-minded individual knows that a job applicant who has yet to be hired has no business to get directly involved in labor negotiations. It's true members of the public can voice support or objections toward labor unions by writing letters and choosing whether or not to patronize businesses or cross picket lines during a strike. However, since when do outside individuals have a right toward any benefits designated to transit workers? We'd like Perez and President Obama to address that. If this madness continues, we might see this situation end up in federal court with transit agencies spending precious resources preparing for the worst. The public arena must hold the special interests, Perez, and the feds accountable.

No Excuses: Getting real about transit worker labor rights

The labor unions need to look at real solutions to protect the rights of their workers and ways to improve the marketplace economy which in turn increases marketplace wages and benefits. The President needs to order Perez to release the transit funds and take exception to the frivolous objections. Congress needs to explore amending the Urban Mass Transportation Act and close up its loopholes. Heaven forbid, should a transit agency or the state actually abuse its public workers through unsafe working conditions, unjustified labor, paying workers below minimum wage, or preventing them from bargaining collectively, and the labor department and the feds have evidence of such abuse, that would be probable cause to have the feds look into criminal charges against the offending officials with mandatory fines and/or jail time. If a boss unlawfully abuses an employee, fine him or lock him up. Don't obstruct transit operations like a NIMBY. Have the special interests proposed fair legislation like that?

Today, there is absolutely no logical reason to hold federal transit funding--let alone transit riders--hostage in the name of worker's rights. It's time for Congress and President Obama to lead us out of this federal fiscal fiasco.

Getting around the excuse-making with the 91 Express Lanes extension

Getting the 91 freeway corridor moving between the Inland Empire and Orange County has been a challenge for the last two decades. The Riverside County Transportation Commission is set to break ground next year on upgrading the corridor through Corona by expanding express bus services, adding a general purpose lane, and extending the 91 Express Lanes through Corona. RCTC illustrates the layout of the proposals which we believe don't go far enough despite the fact that Riverside County taxpayers are going into massive debt to pay for such upgrades combined with Californians paying some of the highest taxes in the nation. The Transit Coalition's future vision of the congested corridor is very similar, but mimics the existing I-15 Express Lane facility in San Diego county with the exception that the center median will be fixed--not movable--and that the occupancy requirement for carpool is 3+ instead of 2+.

The vision includes additional intermediate access points and direct access ramps to adjacent transit centers and park & ride lots which would provide express bus transit infrastructure and speed up travel times for existing and future bus routes and private carpools. The vision also includes expanded Metrolink and potential reinstated high speed intercity passenger rail service provided by BNSF or another operator.

The Coalition's 91 Future Vision appears to conflict with analyses conducted by RCTC and the Orange County Transportation Authority in regards to opposing mandatory tolls for 3+ carpools during the PM rush hour and supporting intermediate access points. According to the agencies, if the corridor supported free non-transponder 3+ carpooling 24/7 and had additional intermediate access points, traffic congestion in the HOT lanes would result, thus defeating the purpose of the HOT lanes. That notion is questionable. Time for some straight talk on these points to weed out the excuses from the facts:

Free 3+ Carpooling vs. 50% tolls during the afternoon rush hour:

In May, 2003, shortly after OCTA acquired the 91 Express Lanes for $207 million, the agency allowed 3+ high occupancy vehicles with a FasTrak transponder to travel free in the HOT lanes except during the PM rush hour where tolls are 50%. The 4-6PM eastbound toll was included because traffic studies at that time show the lanes operating at or near capacity. OCTA officials therefore concluded that the additional traffic generated by free 3+ carpooling would have congested the lanes.

To be fair to OCTA, high occupancy toll lanes were in their adolecent years back in 2003. The agency simply did not have the data that The Transit Coalition now has in regards to alternative solutions to prevent peak-hour congestion in the HOT lanes. We cannot fault OCTA on this; however there is enough data now to support the change. As mentioned before, the 91 corridor has such a high demand for carpooling that the occupancy requirement for carpool should be maintained at 3+ for now; it could be lowered to 2+ during off-peak hours once future infrastructure and additional lanes are built out.

Opening the 91 Express Lanes to additional 3+ carpoolers will bring these additional HOV's into the Express Lanes, no question. To prevent congestion, some of the toll-paying non-carpoolers will need to use the general purpose lanes. As other HOT facilities have shown throughout the nation, that can be acheived two ways:

• Designate the HOT lanes for toll-free travel for 3+ carpools while raising the tolls on other traffic further as traffic volume along the corridor increases. This will keep the toll revenue neutral while providing a greater disincentive to driving alone.  
• 3+ Carpools only - Should the HOT express lanes reach capacity, dynamic regulatory signs would permit only high occupancy vehicles to enter the facilities until capacity opens up for toll-paying traffic. FasTrak traffic already in the lanes would be permitted to complete their trips.

Of course, adopting free non-transponder 3+ carpooling for the 91 Express Lanes will significantly reduce agency toll revenue since more free carpoolers are traveling than toll-paying traffic, but as mentioned before, under no circumstances should high occupancy toll lanes be used as cash fountains. Ongoing displacement of state transportation tax money needs to stop, those resources need to be returned to our local agencies to fund transportation infrastructure, and such resources need to pay down the debt for the 91 Express Lanes and the extension into Riverside County. Once that happens, our local agencies will have no excuse to toll carpoolers in the high occupancy lane.

Intermediate Access Points/Direct Access Ramps:

Upon completion on the extension, 91 Express Lanes access points will be provided at these locations:

• Western Terminal: SR-55 and SR-91 Interchange
• Intermediate: On the 91, west of the Green River Road Interchange for drivers heading in either direction
• Eastern Terminal: I-15 and SR-91 with a direct access ramp with the I-15 to/from the south.

RCTC analyzed additional intermediate access points in Corona through an engineering study and did not adopt the proposed entry/exit points. The design variation 2 plans of a direct access ramp at Smith Avenue in Corona are also not part of the project. Traffic weaving and congestion were cited as concerns. As mentioned before, there is a solution around this which was not taken into consideration: Whenever the express lanes are too congested for additional traffic at the intermediate points or direct access ramps, signs would only permit 3+ HOV traffic to enter or tolls would simply be higher for non-HOV's. This has been demonstrated before elsewhere and the public cannot accept this as an excuse to not link the Corona Transit Center with the 91 Express Lanes.

Moving more people in the 91 Express Lanes:

We must make this point clear once more: High occupancy toll lanes need to be designed in ways to move more people, not cars. The potential consequences of mandating 3+ carpoolers to pre-register for a FasTrak and pay rush hour tolls have been the subject of much debate. These consequences include:

• Many carpoolers reverting back to SOVs or sitting in traffic in the general purpose lanes as demonstrated in LA and Atlanta.
• New solo vehicles being attracted to the corridor as a result of the additional capacity.
• All general purpose lanes, including any newly added ones, becoming congested while eliminating a free-flowing alternative to those who choose to carpool with 3 or more but do not have a toll transponder.

This is why the state needs to get its act together and stop mispending our transportation dollars. This is why high occupancy toll lanes need free non-transponder carpooling. It's time for both the public and our local agencies to stop the excuse-making and hold the state accountable for funding our infrastructure projects which includes a robust SR-91 transit corridor.

Friday Tips: Back to school transit riding tips

Lots of children, youth, and college students will be heading back to school soon. Our public transit buses will certainly be hauling more passengers within the next few weeks as classrooms all over the Inland Empire get up and running. With that, let's review a few basic transit tips courtesy of our local transit agencies:

On the train:

• Arrive at the Metrolink train station at least 10-15 minutes beforehand to allow time to purchase tickets. Be ready at the platform at least 5 minutes before departure. Stops are brief.
• Passengers must a have valid ticket or pass prior to boarding the train. Remember, they are not sold on board.
• Use the handrails while using the stairs or moving around the train car.
• Listen for your station. Get to know the structure of the rail system beforehand.
• Check to be sure you have all your belongings before leaving the train.
• Be ready to exit the train when your stop is approaching. Again, stops are brief.

On the bus:

• Be at the public or school bus stop 5-10 minutes before the bus is scheduled to depart.
• If you're riding public transit, watch for your destination. About one block before your stop, ring the "Stop Request" bell by pressing the strip or pulling the cord between the windows.
• Check to be sure you have all your belongings before you leave.
• Exit through the rear door whenever possible, especially if other passengers are boarding at the stop.
• Wait for the bus to depart before crossing the street at any uncontrolled crosswalk unless the bus goes into layover at the stop.

Safety tips:

• Never run after or next to a moving bus or train.
• Stand back from the curb or platform edge.
• Watch your children and hold onto the young ones when the train or bus approaches.
• Offer the front seats or any other designated spots to senior/disabled riders.

Inland Empire transit and California government waste

The Transit Coalition's future vision of mass transit in the Inland Empire is not an unaffordable dream. It could be a welcoming reality if officials from the local, state, and federal level work together to control unnecessary government waste. The fact of the matter is that state officials up in Sacramento must take the responsibility of getting California's transportation infrastructure to a stable and robust level. We've seen a lot of talk, and to be fair, progress has been made at the local level. However, it is without question that in order for us to have a robust transit system all throughout the Inland Empire and Southern California, state government programs must be streamlined and reformed.

Other states have done it:
As mentioned earlier this week, The Transit Coalition checked out the transportation infrastructure in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area and other regions in the western United States. While taxes are lower in these states, their transit systems are blossoming. By the end of the decade, there will be several options to get around the Salt Lake region between Provo and Ogden.

Go to Laughlin and check out the Needles Highway corridor linking the city with the I-40 freeway. Why is the highway segment through Nevada in far better shape than the California segment? How about the inspection stations travelers pass through as they cross state borders. The Yermo inspection station near Barstow is long overdue to be renovated. In contrast, Utah's freeway port of entry stations utilize modern facilities. Meanwhile, Southern California continues to be mired in some of the worst traffic congestion in the country while residents pay some of the highest taxes.

Tolling our way out of traffic:
There are a number of proposed toll lane projects all throughout Southern California which will serve as money fountains to fund local transportation projects because state money is being displaced elsewhere. The Riverside County Transportation Commission states this:

Some drivers question why tolls are needed, in light of gasoline taxes and retail sales taxes that are charged. In the past, gas taxes were enough to fund transportation improvements. Over time, though, the power of gasoline taxes has eroded. Since 1993, gas taxes have remained the same, with neither federal or state taxes tied to inflation.  In addition, with more fuel efficient vehicles on the road, drivers are paying less and less in gas taxes.

http://www.sr91project.info/tolled-express-lanes
http://www.i15project.info/tolling.php

The problem with that statement as California state officials well know is that other states like Utah and Nevada have the resources to expand their transit and highway networks in relation to the population demand. They too have more fuel efficient cars and their fuel taxes are even lower than California's. This is what happens when taxpayer money is not mispent or wasted. As mentioned, congestion pricing in the high occupancy lanes does work, but tolls are no substitute for state transportation tax funding. California's ongoing failure to deal with its transportation network at a statewide level is a disgrace. That can be called NIMBY obstructionism.

It's true that we have an expensive high speed rail project breaking ground in the Central Valley, but the statewide rail network will be just one piece of the pie.

Getting Southern California Moving...
Fair-minded individuals and many at the local level know that there are numerous ways to solve this problem, but our state lacks the courage to stand up for it. Here are some statewide fiscal controversies that need to put into perspective and up for debate and action:

• Wages: Set public employee wages and benefits to match the salaries and retirement programs offered in the marketplace. Whose going to stand up against the special interests? This is no longer a labor rights issue; we simply cannot afford a continued "Gold Rush" of overpaid positions. Officials need to check out what's going on in the other states and the private sector to stop the waste.
• Consolidate duplicate agencies. At the local level, Riverside County has the Riverside County Transportation Commission and the Riverside County Transportation Department. Let's debate a potential consolidation. At the state level, why are there multiple separate tax collection agencies? To name a few: The state Board of Equalization, the Franchise Tax Board, and the Employment Development Department.
• Business-friendly policies: Get businesses to come back and invest in the Golden State to build up the marketplace economy without jeopardizing the environment or disrupting neighborhoods through urban sprawl.  
• School funding spending: Police the funds going to California schools to ensure that the funding actually reaches the classroom, not a special interest. California taxpayers spend much more per pupil, but just like our transportation system, quality is worse than in several other states.
• Stopping fraud: Set a zero-tolerance law on fraud with state programs, especially worker's comp. Impose a mandatory floor on prison time for defrauding the state and any of its programs. If the state wants to stop theft of its money, that will stop it.
• Prisons and jails: Speaking of prisons, give the special interests a "get out of jail free" card and get them out of the system. Reducing expenses by matching salaries to those offered in the marketplace, privatizing facilities and camps would help address California's jailhouse problems and cut waste. Mobile convicts in jail also should be active in some form of non-punitive prison labor so that taxpayers are not giving them free housing and meals.

If public officials want funding, there it is. That's a prime way we can afford to build out our transit infrastructure and rid Southern California of chronic traffic congestion. Debating and adopting these ideas will do it. However, the state as it is now has little will to man up to this situation. Pandering to the special interests seems to be an easier way to do the job.

In the mean time, Southern California is mired in a substandard transportation system. It's long past due to reverse this trend.

Exploring Express Bypass Lanes

All throughout the Western United States, The Transit Coalition took note of how local agencies are dealing with transportation issues. Many agencies have explored free express lanes or more simply--bypass lanes. Unlike carpool and high occupancy toll lanes, bypass lanes are open for free for any motorist. Express traffic can get on and go. In some jurisdictions, the law even permits truck traffic.

Like many express carpool and toll lane corridors, bypass lanes are express lanes which bypasses local exits in a developed area to let through traffic seamlessly travel through the corridor--at least that is the intent of such lanes. Here are some examples:

I-15 Bypass Lane - Ontario:
Caltrans is currently replacing the slab and upgrading bridges along the I-15 corridor between Ontario and Devore. Construction crews built a temporary construction bypass lane in the northbound direction earlier this year to get around much of the construction activity.  Crews later switched the direction of the bypass lane for southbound motorists. Any traffic except for trucks or other vehicles restricted to the right two lanes may use it. The bypass lane will only be there for the duration of construction; SANBAG is currently studying the feasibility of high occupancy toll lanes through this area all the way up toward Victorville.

Las Vegas Strip I-15 Express Bypass Lanes:
The I-15 express lanes through Las Vegas are free express lanes which allow traffic to seamlessly bypass the exits adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip. Truck traffic may also utilize it. Think of it as a four lane rural desert freeway within an urban highway. The Coalition will continue to watch this facility as growth continues along the south side of the Las Vegas region; commuters headed to Downtown Las Vegas from the south and tourists patronizing the resorts outside of the Strip may soon fill the express lanes up during rush hours and weekends. If local officials are in a position to have to convert the bypass lanes into a high occupancy facility in the future, there will be controversy.

OCTA's 2010 Ill-advised Arterial Interchange Proposal:
Back in Orange County, one idea from a 2010 OCTA meeting that needs to be highlighted was the grade separation of local streets, also known as arterial interchanges. Major intersections would be elevated in order to minimize the need for drivers to stop at stoplights, possibly looking something like the concept design pictured above. Without transit infrastructure, the proposal had a terrible effect for cyclists, bus riders who need to transfer and pedestrians. Here is a clue: The Harbor Transitway.

Utah Timpanogos Highway Commuter Lanes:
Between Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah State Highway 92--Timpanogos Highway--houses commuter bypass lanes which connects I-15 to a Salt Lake City suburb several miles from the freeway. The lanes allows commuters and mountain tourists to bypass several traffic signals on the mainline. An adjacent dedicated multi-use pathway caters to bicycle and pedestrian traffic and offers friendly connections to the local streets. The suburbs in the area are built out and land use control in the mountains is protected. Overall, this project wasn't bad.

I-15 Express Lanes - Utah County:
Okay, the I-15 Express Lanes through Salt Lake City is a high occupancy toll lane facility, but since we're in Salt Lake, how is the facility faring since LA's system is mired in so many problems? Things aren't so bad in the Beehive State. Like San Diego's HOT lane system, Utah's toll lane facility allow for free carpools or a switchable FasTrak-like toll transponder called the Express Pass. Carpoolers and other 2+ HOV's do not need to preregister or get a transponder beforehand to use the lanes. They can get on for free and go! Tolls for non HOV's range from $.25 to $1 per zone; each zone spans the length of a local exit. Local highway patrol units use intelligence-driven enforcement tools to combat carpool/toll payment cheating. The region also has a fast expanding passenger rail and BRT network and plans are underway to develop a direct access ramp linking the HOT lanes with a local multi-modal transit center. These are amenities we would like to see in the Inland Empire.

Back to bypass lanes. There also several dedicated bypass roads throughout the country and many of them work. It certainly takes strong land use controls to prevent urban sprawl along these lanes and roads. Unchecked growth along these routes would basically turn these bypass lanes into ordinary suburban roads they were intended to avoid. Agencies must also follow Utah's example of including transit-friendly pathways for people traveling without a car. The Transit Coalition will continue to watch the progress of such highway expansion proposals.

Getting between Corona and Lake Elsinore by bus

A Better Inland Empire was writing up this blog post while planning for an errand trip which includes traveling between Lake Elsinore and Corona during the middle of the day, a time when RTA CommuterLink express bus service is not available. With the destination located within a few blocks north of the busy Ontario Avenue commercial corridor in Corona, we thought it might have been a good idea to explore possible local bus routes which might connect into the area from the south from Lake Elsinore.

Well, as you may have guessed, there are no public bus lines other than the peak-only CommuterLink bus between Lake Elsinore and Corona; so it's taking the automobile for now. The Transit Coalition continues to hear more and more requests to close transit gaps like this all over the region from area bus riders. At present, if a transit-dependent rider needs to travel between these two regions outside of rush hour, ...well, good luck. Plan on spending a few hours navigating the transit system. To be fair, the Riverside Transit Agency has hinted in its Short Range Transit Plan that it may be ready to close some of these gaps within the next few years with through-routes as Riverside County's economy continues to recover. We will continue to watch for such proposals which are long past due.

In the mean time, we're making no excuses. Even with such a car-centric trip, there's a nearby park & ride lot located a few blocks south of Ontario Aveue, which gives transit-conscious individuals an option of parking offsite and walking the rest of the way in order to eliminate the need of driving along the busy Ontario Avenue for the last half mile. However, it is without question, that having an option to park at the Lake Elsinore Outlet Center bus transfer hub and riding an all day regional connector transit route into town would have been better a choice.

The western United States and local transportation issues

The Transit Coalition went on a field study, traveled in and out of the Colorado Plateau region and surrounding states and gathered useful information of how these western states are addressing present-day transportation, economic and environmental issues.

The Coalition saw in action how a rapid transit shuttle system was established in Zion National Park to eliminate--that's right--eliminate traffic and parking problems within the park. How about express bypass lanes along the major throughfares near Salt Lake City and near the Las Vegas Strip? How is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System near the California-Nevada state border faring? Would any of these solutions work in Southern California?

Stay tuned for more information as The Transit Coalition places the information gathered into perspective.

Friday Tips: Travel trips for Independence Day July 4th

It's time to celebrate our nation's Declaration of Independence! For those traveling out of Southern California or setting off fireworks, here are some basic tips to get the most out your holiday:

Flying? Buy your tickets and book your flight, airport shuttle and lodging reservations as early as possible. Arrive early at the airport and give yourself lots of extra time to clear security. Take advantage of online check-in options to avoid getting bumped off of an overbooked flight.

Taking the train or bus? Buy your tickets and book your trip early for the better fares. Take care of your lodging reservations early. Take advantage of online ticket options so that you can arrive at the station stress-free, check your baggage and board. Plan some stopovers along the way for long-haul ground trips.

Traveling by car? Plan your route and book your hotel/motel stops well in advance. Get your car properly tuned up. That means changing the oil if needed, inspecting the brakes, fluids and tire pressure. Remember that Inland Empire freeways, especially SR-91 will get very congested this Friday afternoon! The highways are also busy during commute hours and during the day and evening on weekends. The highways are generally wide open during the late night on weekdays and early morning hours on weekends. Make sure your designated driver gets proper rest breaks. If you have a smartphone, take advantage of numerous free travel apps to get live traffic reports and the best prices on gas, food and lodging.

For those who plan to shoot off fireworks at home, please follow these tips published by the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection and our friends working for Riverside and San Bernardino County:

• Obey all local laws and ordinances before buying or setting off home fireworks. Don't be the one responsible for fire damage due to unsafe or illegal use of fireworks.
• All fireworks are illegal in Riverside County. The only cities in the county that allow State Fire Marshal Safe and Sane Fireworks are Cathedral City, Indio, Blythe and Coachella. However, these fireworks must not be transported or possessed outside of the cities where they were purchased according to law enforcement. 
• Fireworks are not permitted in unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. Safe and Sane fireworks are only allowed in Adelanto, Chino, Colton, and Rialto, as well as designated locations in Fontana, Grand Terrace, and San Bernardino. Please call the fire department in these cities for more information. 
• Use only State Fire Marshal approved fireworks. All fireworks that explode, shoot into the air or move along the ground are termed dangerous and are illegal anywhere in California.
• Never allow children or teenagers to light fireworks on their own without adult supervision. They are not toys. Parents will be liable for any damage or injuries caused by their children using fireworks.
• Read the instructions on the package before lighting the fuse.
• Enjoy the fireworks outside only.
• Keep your fireworks show away from dry grass or other flammables.
• Enjoy one firework at a time.
• Keep a safe distance. Do not wear loose fitting clothing.
• Sparklers can reach 1800° F. Hot enough to melt gold.
• Never point or throw active fireworks at another person.
• Do not experiment with fireworks.
• Never carry fireworks in your pockets.
• Have a bucket of water to dose the used fireworks in & a hose in case of flying embers.
• Discard defective fireworks. Do not attempt to re-light or repair.

Riverside County food trucks and transit

On Tuesday, June 25, The Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously asked its staff to write up a local ordinance that would permit food truck businesses to operate more freely in the marketplace. Supervisor Kevin Jeffries even organized a special festival that day in the parking lot of the downtown Riverside County Administrative Center where food trucks came; the public well attended the event. Currently, Riverside County only permits food trucks to sell their freshly cooked food only at organized events.

These trucks are certainly not the roach coaches of days past. Many of today's food trucks are in line with health codes and have evolved to offer a variety of great food on the go. Larger food establishments have even expressed interest in getting into the food truck business. Easing county restrictions would not only provide marketplace competition in Riverside County and provide additional restaurant-sector jobs, but will enhance the county's public transit system with some extra amenities.

During peak hours when a public bus transit or train station is full of people, a licensed food truck can park along the adjacent street and offer refreshments to the public. Care to grab a cup of fine coffee and a glazed old fashion doughnut during your ten minute layover at the Corona Transit Center? To be fair, regular health inspections and basic safeguards are necessary to eliminate the possibility of food poisoning and food truck waste must be disposed of properly to counter pollution. However with the greater range of food options and competition which will lower prices and enhance quality, both the marketplace and the public waiting for the bus or train stand to benefit. Transit riders can no longer be classified as a captive audience when it comes to food.

The Transit Coalition releases comments on RTA FY2014-16 proposals

The Transit Coalition has released its positions upon the proposed Riverside Transit Agnecy Dial-A-Ride policy changes, 2014-2016 Short Range Transit Plan, Route 210/220 bus stop changes, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act policy amendments. 

For more information and details on the Coalition's comments, please visit:
http://www.thetransitcoalition.us/a_better_inland_empire/images/pdf/TTC-20130618-Letter2Person-RTA-PublicLetter.pdf

RTA has five public comment agenda items on the table--four public hearings and one public survey. Here are links to each one:

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

Public Hearing Period continues through Wednesday June 26:
 
It's not too late! Get your comments to RTA no later than June 26. The 10 Year Plan Survey will be open through the fall. RTA will officially close the comment period at the June 27 RTA Board meeting. RTA will accept comments at the meetings, by phone at (951) 565-5002, emailed to comments@riversidetransit.com, or sent via standard mail to 1825 Third Street, Riverside, CA 92507.

Temecula: Getting transit into Old Town's transit-oriented development

The City of Temecula has earmarked public funds toward the development of additional mixed use affordable housing in its robust historic downtown district. The city's proposals are certainly sound ideas. Old Town will be a livable community, oriented around people rather than cars. The apartment complexes on the west side of town are just a few blocks away from the central core. Old Town Temecula has numerous shops, restaurants, a fire station, police station, and Temecula City Hall within walking or biking distance for its residents. Shops front directly with the sidewalk, as with offices, and residential units above the shops. Add in a some service-oriented jobs and commercial retail storefronts and Old Town will one day be completely livable.

Getting transit into Old Town Temecula:

Viable public transit and bus infrastructure is needed to support this development in order to prevent colossal traffic congestion in the area. At present, two local RTA public bus transit routes, each operating nearly hourly, run through Old Town starting from early morning through the tail end of the evening rush hour. Route 79 (Hemet-Temecula) operates weekdays only; Route 24 (south Temecula circulator) operates daily. An additional Old Town circulator trolley route runs every Saturday from 8 am – 1 pm. In addition, a Greyhound route (San Bernardino-San Diego) stops four times per day, two times per direction.

Public officials are currently looking at a rapid transit route which will link Old Town Temecula with neighboring downtown districts up north in Murrieta, Wildomar, and Lake Elsinore. As officials continue their transit studies, one option that needs to be explored is streamlining Temecula's local bus routes into a hub-and-spoke model with Old Town serving as a potential local hub. Bus routes serving the Pechanga Parkway, Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road, Front Street, and Jefferson Avenue corridors should seamlessly feed through Temecula's downtown district. The Old Town transfer hub may even qualify to have its own direct access ramp to/from future HOV or HOT lanes along the I-15 freeway in the long term.

Public incentives also needs to be debated and offered to the private sector so that hourly intercity bus service can be offered between San Diego and Los Angeles via the I-15 freeway corridor with potential local stops in Temecula Old Town, the planned Twin Cities Transit Center, Lake Elsinore and the Corona Transit Center. Otherwise Temecula Old Town will have a serious case of dense transit oriented development without reliable transit.

Transforming Inland Empire smart growth talk into action

The Western Riverside Council of Governments, the San Bernardino Associated Governments and the Riverside County Transportation Commission have been looking at smart growth principles to address potential growth demands within the Inland Empire. Leaders have predicted that the region will grow by 800,000 within the next 25 years.

Public officials pitched that future development should be along transit corridors such as freeways, rail lines and bus routes. Government officials have been talking about smart growth for many years, but what needs to be done to put it into action?

Here are some facts: It is expensive to own a house or rent a dwelling place within the primary job hubs in LA, Orange and San Diego Counties. Demand is high; supply is short. It's a sellers' market. Housing in the Inland Empire is more affordable, especially for larger families. However, there are far more workers than jobs which keeps local wages down and unemployment high.

Therefore, many have to live inland and commute long distances to reach their jobs. With the exception of the San Bernardino-to-Los Angeles corridor, these routes remain very car-oriented. Carpool and HOV demands within the Inland Empire are very high.

Putting Smart Growth in action: A priority should be to balance the job-to-housing ratio. This includes establishing business-friendly policies to foster marketplace job growth in the Inland Empire. At the job centers, what can be done to improve housing supply and residential options to address such high demand?

Secondly, high occupancy toll lanes linking the bedroom communities to the job centers have been in the talks to accommodate carpools and those willing to buy their way out of traffic. Will these HOT lanes include bus-friendly infrastructure such as direct access ramps between the highway and adjacent transit centers like the Corona Transit Center or the Montclair TransCenter? How is the state government addressing these transportation issues since we're paying some of the highest taxes in the nation?

Protecting the people aboard public transit

News reports show that the American Public Transportation Association is advocating for better security protection aboard public transit to counter terrorism. Such advocacy follows a failed attempt by two terrorists of blowing up a passenger train in Toronto. It’s worth noting that The Transit Coalition works to develop a safe, integrated, cost effective and environmentally sound public transportation system for Southern California region. That would include ensuring protective measures are in place to keep our trains and buses as safe as possible while maintaining business-friendly policies for marketplace transit lines. As officials debate for solutions, the federal government must not forget about one major source of the problem. 

Unfortunately, we live in a world where a group of religious extremists believe they have a right to kill innocent people in order to serve their religion. Combating terrorism is going to require both protective measures from the state and federal level combined with religious leaders confronting extremists of their so-called religous duty to mass-murder innocent people. Until this happens, officials need to continue their debates for solutions. One form of intelligence-driven protection that works is bomb sniffing dogs which randomly check for suspicious items aboard vehicles and transit stations. Let’s not forget that we the transit rider must also continue to be on the lookout for any suspicious activities.

Across-the-Platform Connections Between Public Transit and Private Sector Intercity Carriers

The Transit Coalition uruges public officials to work with major intercity bus service providers like Greyhound Bus Lines and casino bus carriers for improved connections between these lines and local public transportation services at major transit centers and hubs. Currently, several private bus carriers stop to pick up and drop off passengers at points that are far from major public transit centers. Public officials should explore incentives and amenities so that private sector carriers would be inclined to use multi-modal transit centers and their adjacent streets as bus stops.

Private sector intercity bus service is vital for productive express bus service through suburban and rural areas where off-peak public express bus transit would otherwise not be feasible. By attracting carriers to transit centers, passengers will have seamless across-the-platform transfer connections between lines. In addition, coordinated service with streamlined fare and transfer agreements between operators can make both intercity bus travel and public bus service a more feasible transportation option at minimal costs to the taxpayer.

By setting policies that would allow private carriers to generate additional profits with the added ridership, Inland Empire bus riders would be given additional express intercity bus service options in a productive manner at centralized transit centers.

Friday Transportation Tips: Ride and Drive Safely this Easter Sunday

Families from all over the world gather together to celebrate Easter Sunday. If you are travelling this weekend throughout Southern California, here are some tips just for you:

• The freeways will be busy, especially after dinner time. Check the traffic reports before you hit the road. Allow an extra 30-45 minutes. Return trips from Southwest Riverside County back into Orange County have been historically jammed after dinner from north of Lake Elsinore all the way into Anaheim Hills.
  
• Churches and places of worship will be very active and busy. Allow sufficient time for parking. Get to the service at least 30 minutes before start time so you can get the most out of the services offered. If the house of worship is near a transit route and the line operates that day, consider using it.
  
• Speaking of transit, if the place you’re headed to for Easter is near a train station or intercity bus terminal, see if taking the family aboard transit would work. See if the provider is offering any last minute deals.
  
• If your kids are going back to school the Monday after Easter, get everything ready for Monday before you head out for the Easter festivities so you can spend some extra time for the holiday and not stress on the way home.

 Have a safe and happy Easter Sunday!

Future Vision of Inland Empire Mass Transit and Government Studies

(3/11/13) – IE Transit Talking Points Short

   

The Transit Coalition’s Future Vision of Inland Empire Mass Transit not only illustrates concepts advocated by The Transit Coalition, but also official public transit proposals that were found to be feasible according to studies. The Future Vision utilizes data from both Coalition field studies and government transportation reports and combines the information into a single map illustrating what productive mass transit could be like in the Inland Empire. Let’s get Southern California moving!