Cerritos : Van Transit System Expected by Next Spring

A transit system using vans to link residential neighborhoods, parks, shopping areas, schools, the post office and City Hall is expected to be in operation by next spring.

The Cerritos City Council has authorized a call for proposals from transit operators to develop and operate the service, which would cost an estimated $416,300 a year and would be financed with transit funds received through the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission. Cerritos hopes to select an operator by the first of the year.

Under the plan, two 20-passenger vans traveling in opposite directions would cover a 17-mile loop through the city in one hour. The vans would operate from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Passengers would pay 25 cents a trip and fares would be used to offset costs of the system.

The vans would come within half a mile of 80% of the homes in Cerritos. They would originate at City Hall and stop at 36 locations, including Los Cerritos Center mall, Cerritos Towne Center, Cerritos Post Office, Cerritos College and five parks--Heritage, Cerritos Regional, Liberty, Pat Nixon and Cerritos Park East.

Bob Brady, transit project manager, said the proposal grew out of a 1985 transit study and a later random telephone survey of 500 Cerritos residents. “We have recreation programs at community centers and we felt there was a need for persons who wanted to travel from one location to another or go shopping,” he said.