OJAI : Trolley, Bus Services May Be Expanded

Ojai’s trolley and bus service would increase under two proposals to be presented Wednesday to the South Coast Area Transit board.

One proposal would extend the Ojai trolley service from six to seven days a week. The other would include an express bus route from Ventura to Ojai.

The board will wait to take action on trolley changes until the Ojai City Council considers making its own recommendation, which might include lowering passenger fares, said Maureen Lopez, SCAT’s marketing director.

The private trolley makes 12 daily runs through Ojai Thursday through Tuesday.

The SCAT board will consider the Ventura-Ojai express bus after a public hearing on March 6, Lopez said. Also proposed is a bus between Ojai and Oxnard via Buenaventura Plaza, Ventura College and the County Government Center.

“The express bus will shave about 30 minutes between Ojai and the mall,” Lopez said, adding that it would probably be timed to catch commuters in the morning and late afternoon.

Initial cost estimates indicate the route changes would cost Ojai $8,500 in addition to its annual fee of $29,286, Lopez said. Ventura would pay substantially more than its current $750,000 fee, she said, depending on what other services it requests.