Residents Urge Longer Hours for Bus Service : Transportation: Public hearing also gathers suggestions on security and routing lines near schools.

A small but vocal group of San Fernando Valley residents Thursday urged officials from the Southern California Rapid Transit District to operate buses later in the evening, increase security and reroute lines to better serve local colleges and schools.

The 15 residents met with RTD officials at the Boys and Girls Club of the San Fernando Valley in Pacoima as part of a series of meetings designed to gather public suggestions on ways to improve bus service.

Most of the residents provided detailed and constructive suggestions to improve the system. But some said they were frustrated that the system does not serve their needs well enough.

Several speakers said the bus service needs to have longer hours so that residents do not have to worry about being stranded late at night. “A lot of people can’t take night classes because they have no way to get home at night,” said Barbara Breslau, a teacher at Valley College.

Joel Recinos, an administrative analyst for Mission College in Sylmar, said few buses stop within a half-mile of the college and that no buses run after 7:30 p.m. He said this makes it difficult for students at that college to rely on the bus system.

Nick Patsaouras, a member of the RTD board of directors, said he would look into all the suggestions. But he said budget shortfalls and bureaucratic constraints limit his ability to implement major changes quickly.

“You say you are frustrated, but I am 10 times as frustrated,” Patsaouras said.

However, Patsaouras said the RTD is in the process of redesigning all bus routes in the Valley. The new routes are expected to be approved by September, he said.

RTD spokesman Bill Heard said the public meetings are a result of the Los Angeles riots, which prompted RTD officials to launch several programs designed to make it easier and cheaper for residents affected by the riots to use the bus system.

Heard said the RTD board of directors decided soon after the riots to hold public hearings to get more suggestions on how to improve the service. Once the meeting are concluded, the RTD staff will draft a report compiling all the suggestions, he said.

One suggestion that RTD officials are already studying is to sell coupon books at more locations, including union halls and community centers. Coupon books are currently sold only at 10 RTD centers and about 300 sales outlets throughout the county.

RTD extended the life of its April monthly bus passes because some sales outlets were burned and customers had a hard time getting to others. The RTD also initiated a new South Los Angeles shuttle bus that links five emergency food distribution agencies. The fare on this temporary route is 25 cents.

Between June and September, the RTD is providing a cut-rate fare of 50 cents in coupons--instead of the normal $1.10--for people in riot-damaged neighborhoods.

The series of meetings began June 10 and will end June 30. The Thursday night meeting in Pacoima was the only hearing scheduled in the San Fernando Valley.