VENTURA : Council to Consider Cutting 2 Bus Lines

The Ventura City Council today will consider cutting bus service from the Buenaventura Mall to Ventura Harbor and from Ventura to Ojai because of the high cost of subsidizing the rarely used routes.

City Transportation Engineer Nazir Lalani said too few people use the two bus lines, which cost the city nearly $150,000 a year to operate. The fares from the Ojai bus line make up about 4% of its costs, and the fares from the mall bus line make up about 8% of its costs, he said, adding that the city’s goal is to subsidize 80% of a bus line’s operation.

“It’s cheaper to pay people cab fare,” Lalani said.

If the council decides to cut the service, the South Coast Area Transit board of directors must also give final approval in April, Lalani said. Bus service would be eliminated July 1.

In a related action, the council is expected to recommend that SCAT officials limit the purchase of buses next year and put together a five-year financial plan that evaluates how much it would cost to implement accommodations for the disabled called for under the American with Disabilities Act.