Santa Clarita Reduces Bus Service, Raises Fare

The Santa Clarita City Council has voted to reduce bus service and increase commuter fares to compensate for a recession-caused tax shortfall.

Under the proposal approved late Tuesday, morning bus service will begin an hour later, the debut of commuter bus service to Century City will be delayed until April and the price of a commuter bus ticket will go up 12.5%, from $75 to $85 per month.

The changes are necessary because the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission has cut Santa Clarita’s $3.5-million budget by $810,000, said Mike Prior, the city’s transportation manager. The county agency’s revenues, which come from voter-approved sales taxes, are about 20% lower than anticipated because consumers are spending less, Prior said.

The new fees will go into effect Feb. 1 and local service will begin then at 5:45 a.m. instead of 4:45 a.m.