March 2010 OCTA Service Cuts Save Jobs and Service While Looking for More Money

The OCTA Board unanimously supported cutting 150,000 hours of service in March 2010, only one-half of the originally  proposed 300,000 hour cut at their November 23, 2009  meeting. The Board also supported cleaning up and closing out unused Measure M1 money.  The service changes include eliminating some routes, creating new shorter routes in some areas, restructuring service in north Orange County, and changing timetables. Night OWL service was kept until 1 AM, which is a significant compromise from the original proposed elimination of the service.

There is a significant advantage to the Orange County economy to a reduced bus service cut - more people stay fully employed longer.  Many times, when there is a bus service cut, the emphasis is on the impact on the riders.  Drivers, mechanics, cleaning staff, and administrative jobs are also cut when service hours are cut.  The 150,000 hour service reduction means jobs will be cut, but not as many as with a 300,000 hour cut.  More people working means more dollars circulating in the economy, which will help speed the recovery.

150,000 hours of service cuts is still a very significant cut, but the Board is buying time to find money to use for bus operations to prevent more cuts.  One possible source is the suit against the State which was recently rejected by the California Supreme Court. The suit was filed over the taking of transit funds by the State for use on non-transit projects. Officials are now working with to get the money brought back to the transit systems of California.

Another possible source of money is the transit funds being used for the Bristol Street Widening project.  When proposed, bus rapid transit (BRT) was supposed to have a dedicated lane on the newly improved Bristol Street.  During the planning process, BRT was dropped from the specifications but the BRT money was kept in the project.  When there is a large, multi-year construction project like Bristol Street Widening, it can be difficult to stop and start the project without actually incurring more costs.

OCTA staff in conjunction with Transit Advocates of Orange County (TAOC) identified Measure M1 money which has not been committed or spent which could be transferred to Bristol Street Widening.  (Item 23 on the November 23, 2009 agenda.)  Once the backfilled, Bristol Street Widening could then transfer money to bus operations to temporarily put off more cuts.  

OCTA Board and staff are to be commended for the amount of work they have done in a short period of time to allow a 150,000 hour cut and start the backfilling cycle of money needed to move money to bus operations.

More Notes from the Meeting

This meeting was not as heavily attended as past meetings, but the comments brought up points to consider moving forward.

• Chair Peter Buffa thanked Jane Reifer and the Transit Advocates for their efforts to help save bus service and find funding alternatives.
• Margaret Farris, who uses a wheelchair due to complications of multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, spoke about the need to maintain ACCESS service.  Margaret, a graduate of Fullerton College Cal State Fullerton, is a Fullerton resident who uses ACCESS to travel to events at CSUF, go shopping and as her primary means of transport.  The north part of the county is having routes restructured, which could impact ACCESS service, which is only required to be offered within a 3/4 mile band along the same routes and times as regular bus service.  Margaret has attended many of the recent meetings about service changes and is a knowledgeable advocate for transit and disability rights.
• Christie Rudder, a systems change advocate with the Dayle McIntosh Center, asked about the taxi service which is being offered to ACCESS riders as a service substitute. The taxi vouchers are for $10, which potentially leaves the disabled rider to pick up the rest of the tab. Christie pointed out that many disabled clients have very limited incomes, so the additional cost over $10 could discourage many from using the service.  She pointed out the OCTA should research the more cost effective alternatives, such as allowing the disabled to use the currently aged-limited senior medical appointment transit services.  Christie also pointed out that making such alternatives available could be cheaper in the long run than possible litigation.
• Director David Winterbottom was very unfriendly to Arnie Pike, an ACCESS customer who asked if service could be extended to more than a 3/4 mile band around the bus lines.  Winterbottom pointed out OCTA is doing more than minimum legally required and that he did not appreciate these types of questions from the audience. Winterbottom is supposed to be the public member of the OCTA Board.  In previous meetings he has attempted to limit public comment to 10 seconds per speaker.  Winterbottom is not living up to his role as a member of the public to represent the general interests of OCTA ridership.
• The impact of cuts on education was brought forward by Pam Keller  (Fullerton Mayor Pro-Tem), Leonard Lahtinen (Trustee of North Orange County Community College District), Karen Cant (VP of Administrative Services of Cypress College), and student leaders from CSUF, Fullerton College and Cypress College.  Leonard pointed out that "students need to get to classes because they are the economic future of Orange County."  He suggested that OCTA work with community colleges to implement a transit program similar to the one at CSUF.  
• Hank Fung, from Southern California Transit Advocates, suggested that the footprint of the bus stops be kept by suspending routes rather than eliminating routes.  If the route is suspended, the bus stop is not used but is still available for future use.  If the route is eliminated, the bus stop needs to be re-created, which may cause problems with neighbors objecting to adding a stop.