Ride On! Commuter Update

Ride On! Commuter Update
Director of Transit & Rideshare Services, Elizabeth Richards

Solano enjoys a wide range of transit options: local and intercity bus, ferry, and paratransit services. What may surprise many Solano residents is that these services are operated by their local Cities. The seven cities in Solano operate six different transit systems. The variety of transit operators often cause confusion when traveling between cities and limits transit funding opportunities.

To address these issues, the STA Board is undertaking a Transit Consolidation Study. The goals of this study are: 1) to streamline transit service, simplifying and improving access to transit use for riders; 2) to achieve service efficiencies and economies; 3) to provide a central focus on transit service for the County; and to 4) to create a robust transit service to meet the growing transit needs of the County.

The study was kicked off in the Spring of 2007. Consultants were retained to complete the study which includes extensive outreach to public officials, transit staff, funding partners, and transit users. Over 50 interviews were conducted to identify the opportunities and challenges of consolidating transit. This stage of the study was completed in June.

The consultants presented their findings and six preliminary alternatives to the STA Board in July. The Board approved formation of a Boardlevel Steering Committee to guide future steps of this study. The first phase of the study is nearing completion and two reports will be released by September. The second phase will analyze the six alternatives from several perspectives to evaluate if, and how, consolidation will occur.