OXNARD : Council Backs Ending Bus Route
Despite objections from residents, the Oxnard City Council on Tuesday voted to support the elimination of a bus route serving the city’s beach areas.
The council voted 4 to 1, with Councilman Tom Holden dissenting, to uphold an earlier decision to do away with the route because of low ridership. The city will save about $60,000 a year if the beach route is discontinued.
The South Coast Area Transit board of directors, which has final say on the matter, is expected to vote on the issue next month.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to provide everything that everybody needs,” said Councilman Michael Plisky. “If we are the council of change, we’d better start living within our means.”
More than a dozen riders of the beach-area bus urged the council to spare the route, which originates at the Centerpoint Mall in south Oxnard and serves an area along Channel Islands and Harbor boulevards near Oxnard Shores and Silver Strand Beach.
“I have a sister, and she’s crippled, and we go all over on the beach bus,” 86-year-old Katherine Antista told the council. “We really need that bus.”
But city staff members said that, in three years of operation, the bus route has made only about 10% of its operating costs from fare receipts. State transit standards call for a bus route to collect at least 20% of its revenue from passengers.
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