The North Central Regional Transit District (NCRTD) has dedicated the Jim West Regional Transit Center, its new headquarters, in a ribbon cutting ceremony outside the building located at 1327 N. Riverside Drive, Española, NM 87532.
In dedicating the building, NCRTD Chairman and Taos County Commissioner Daniel Barrone stated that, "This Transit Center serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the government officials, NCRTD Board and the staff, both past and present, who believed that one day a transit system could connect a 10,000 square mile area of north central New Mexico and create mobility options for people in most cases where none had existed before."
"We are thrilled to be located in our new headquarters," commented Anthony Mortillaro, NCRTD Executive Director. "This now consolidates the administrative offices with the operations and fleet management divisions which previously had been spread out over three locations in Santa Fe and Española. The move will allow us to operate more efficiently and cost effectively as we position ourselves for the future."
The Jim West Regional Transit Center is named for the late Jim West, a Los Alamos County councilor. He was among the founders of the NCRTD and was an inaugural member of the NCRTD Board of Directors in 2004. In 2006, he was elected Chairman of the Board and served in that capacity until 2008 when his illness caused him to resign. Jim West worked tirelessly for the creation, consolidation and expansion of regional transit throughout the District and actively sought to forge the diverse membership of the NCRTD into a unified, cohesive and meaningful regional authority for the public benefit of all north central New Mexico.
Purchase and renovation of the new 12,500 sq. ft. public transportation facility was made possible by grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Federal Transit Administration, Congressional funding and the voter approved Transit Gross Receipts Tax.
In September 2004, the NCRTD became the first regional transit district to be certified by the New Mexico Transportation Commission. It was established with eleven (11) member entities: Santa Fe County, Rio Arriba County, Taos County, Los Alamos County, the City of Santa Fe, City of Española, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Tesuque Pueblo, San Ildefonso Pueblo and Santa Clara Pueblo.
