Antelope Valley residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on a combination of proposed service changes and fare modifications being considered by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA). The transit agency is seeking public comment through outreach efforts that will take place in the next few weeks at Lancaster City Park and the Palmdale Transportation Center. All of the public input received will be incorporated into their final recommendations to the Board of Directors at the May 26, 2015 board meeting. If approved, the fare and service changes would go into effect on June 29.
AVTA has developed service change recommendations, with the focus on improving route directness, reducing travel time, and improving service frequency. The most notable proposal would realign local Route 1 from Avenue S to Palmdale Blvd, in preparation for a future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. The proposed service changes also include adjustments to Routes 2, 3, 5, and 7 as well as the expansion of service on Commuter Route 786. Scheduled pick-up times during the evening commuter service, have also been modified to every 20 minutes for most trips. All proposed local changes would maintain schedule frequencies and connectivity along current corridors.
"Throughout the year, changes occur to roads, businesses, and communities that can impact transit networks," stated AVTA Board Chair Marvin Crist. "AVTA is committed to responding to these changes by adjusting and modifying services to ensure the transit system runs as effectively and efficiently as possible."
The transit agency is also studying the possibility of restructuring the current fare schedule.
AVTA ridership has grown by 30% since 2011, and the number of customers who ride for free has increased from 38% to 50% during that same time period. Despite the significant increase in ridership, AVTA fare revenues have decreased by about 1% on the local transit service. In order to keep up with the growing ridership trend, AVTA proposes to take steps to expand and improve its service. Instituting a half-fare rate for seniors and disabled passengers is under consideration, along with eliminating TAP card discounts. To assist those who cannot afford the added cost, AVTA is proposing to implement a Rider Relief Transportation Program, which will offer discount coupons towards monthly bus passes based on income eligibility.
In order to provide added convenience for local transit customers, AVTA is also proposing to sell its Day Pass onboard buses. The proposal calls for adjusting the Day Pass from $3.75 to $5, as the price has not been changed in over a decade. The pass is intended to provide customers with a significant discount should they need to take four buses or more in one day. Two fare adjustment scenarios are also under consideration for AVTA’s Commuter Service.
The first scenario proposes to reduce the cash fare by nearly 35 percent and eliminate the TAP fare discount. The second proposal would reduce the cash fare by up to 40 percent and implement a $10 flat one way fare for every commuter route. The second proposal would also eliminate the TAP fare discount to reduce fare structure complexity. Both proposals adjust the monthly pass pricing from between 20 percent and 30 percent, depending on the base fare under consideration. The fare adjustments are necessary to cover increased operating expenses that are connected to the addition of three new commuter runs, which were added in October 2014 to reduce overcrowding.
Finally, the fare restructuring proposal seeks to adjust the North County Transporter’s one way fare from $4.00 to $5.00. The service was created in August 2012 through a grant from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The grant funds are no longer available, and a fare adjustment is needed in order to maintain service levels.
