DART riders may lose program in budget cuts
Rancho Bernardo DART riders have one week to convince Metropolitan Transit Service officials that the program needs to remain in service.
A public hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 at the 12th/Imperial Transit Center, 1255 Imperial Ave. in downtown San Diego.
Those who cannot attend the hearing have until 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 to submit their comments about the proposed DART elimination by leaving a voice mail at 619-595-4912, sending an e-mail to mts.planning@sdmts.com or writing to MTS Public Hearing Comments, 1255 Imperial Ave. Suite 1000, San Diego, CA 92101.
If hearing officials decide to eliminate DART, the service will be discontinued in January 2008.
DART (Direct Access to Regional Transit) provides transportation from any location (such as a home) to any location or bus stop within the service area from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, not including holidays.
Established in 1989 and once operating throughout the city, the program only still exists in Rancho Bernardo and Scripps Ranch because the two communities have the greatest need for it.
According to MTS spokesman Rob Schupp, the program is one of many cuts proposed by MTS officials to make up a projected $9.2 million budget shortfall.
“We were (recently) told by SANDAG that the sales tax projections are lower than anticipated,” Schupp said, adding in future years, the shortfall is projected to be $11 million annually.
About 50 percent of MTS’ budget comes from the county’s general sales tax, with MTS receiving one-third of the half-cent tax. It also receives Transnet money from gasoline sales in the county and another 47 percent of its budget comes from construction, housing, home and auto sales, which have all declined.
“We need a sustainable way to balance the budget by cutting services, raising fares, (doing) internal belt tightening and generating other sources of revenue (such as ads on trolleys),” Schupp said.
DART, which costs $161,000 to operate annually, is one of the services targeted for elimination due to low ridership.
Schupp said from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007, there was an average of 11 passengers per week in Rancho Bernardo. With a fare box recovery of 6 percent, he said it costs MTS an additional $22.55 per passenger to operate the system.
In Scripps Ranch, where there is an average of 27 riders per week, DART’s fare box recovery is 11 percent, so it costs MTS an additional $11.67 per passenger.
Schupp said the ideal fare box recovery for its various services — including bus and trolley — is 34 percent, which means it costs MTS an average of $1.69 per passenger.
Last year, Schupp said 95 percent of MTS routes were shifted in order to make the transportation system more efficient.
There are four bus routes in Rancho Bernardo — Routes 20, 844, 845 and an express bus — providing transportation from Escondido to downtown, though sometimes riders are required to make route transfers to reach their final destinations.
Despite this availability, some Rancho Bernardo residents have difficulty in accessing those buses and therefore prefer DART.
Rancho Bernardo resident Lucinda Dalley, 85, said she uses DART at least once per week for grocery shopping, medical and dental appointments, and running errands, such as to the bank and post office.
“If (DART is) discontinued, I will have to rely on friends and neighbors (for transportation),” Lucinda Dalley said. “It will put a burden on them.”
Lucinda Dalley said one time she used a taxi to take her to Albertsons, which is about two miles from her home. The trip cost her $20.
In contrast, using DART costs her $3 round-trip.
A one-way DART fare is $3 for adults, $1.50 for seniors, the disabled and children under 5 years, with 50 cents extra charged to those with monthly, senior, disabled or youth passes and bus transfers.
Her sister-in-law in Poway, Ruth Ann Dalley, provides her with additional transportation, at times when DART is not available.
According to Ruth Ann Dalley, there are two groups of people who use DART — those in their 80s and 90s who still live independently and those who are a little younger, but for medical reasons cannot drive for a few months.
“These people are independent, but if (DART) is taken away, they will not be able to take care of themselves,” Ruth Ann Dalley said.
City Councilman Brian Maienschein, whose district includes Rancho Bernardo and Scripps Ranch, said he recently met with MTS officials to see if the program could be saved.
“Two years ago, (MTS) proposed to cut off DART,” Maienschein said. “Then (residents and I) lobbied and MTS agreed to continue it.”
However, because Maienschein said, “I feel like MTS staff have made up their minds (this time),” he is looking into getting a van — perhaps even the DART vehicle — donated to the communities so volunteers can be recruited to operate a similar program.
Brent Boyd, MTS senior transportation planner, said there are currently two other low-cost transportation options in Rancho Bernardo.
MTS Parastransit is a curb-to-curb service designed for transit riders with disabilities that prevent them from using regular bus or trolley services and who live within three-fourths of a mile from a fixed-route.
For more information, call 1-800-921-9664.
Rides & Smiles, a non-profit volunteer service, gives enrolled residents in ZIP codes 92127, 92128, 92129, 92131 and 92064 transportation based upon volunteer availability.
For more information, call 858-391-0033.