Consolidation of Transit Agencies

The subject of my letter is the consolidation of the Orange County transportation agencies.

I’m a handicapped person who knows a lot about the Orange County Transit District and I get a lot of information on the transportation needs of Orange County.

I ride the buses a lot, and I can tell you that the OCTD’s bus and van service is increasing as much as the OCTD says. This fiscal year the ridership is up 15%. The OCTD was predicting only a 3% increase.

The Orange County Transportation Commission wants to take the OCTD and CTSA (Consolidated Transportation Service Agency) services over. The OCTD is doing a very good job. I do know that CTSA is trying to do a good job for the handicapped and the elderly.

In the “Orange County 20-year Master Plan of Transportation Improvements” prepared for the Orange County Transportation Commission, there is nothing about bus or van service improvements, but there is evidence there will be a decrease in service in some part of Orange County.

OCTC’s staff says “trust us” with the taxpayers’ money. How come there is an investigation by the Orange County Grand Jury on the OCTC’s staff deliberately overstated effectiveness of the car-pool lanes on the Costa Mesa Freeway?

I think the Orange County Grand Jury should do a study on the cost of consolidation of the transportation agencies before the state Legislature votes for or against the proposed merger.

GARY A. MUDGE

Garden Grove