Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : New Commuter Bus Route Begins Service

Realizing months of planning, a new bus route linking Santa Clarita with Westwood and Century City has begun service.

For $2.30, commuters can take one of four buses leaving Santa Clarita in the morning. Five return during the evening rush hour.

The city used a $90,000 Metropolitan Transportation Authority grant to cover the costs of extending to Santa Clarita an existing route between Century City and Granada Hills, said Bob Murphy, Santa Clarita transit analyst.

Paying the Los Angeles Department of Transportation for the 20-minute leg from Granada Hills to Santa Clarita is far cheaper than purchasing six buses at $250,000 each and paying the operating expenses as well, Murphy said.

“We have quite a demand for service to West L. A.,” said Murphy. “If we had the money, we’d provide a higher level of service.”

Santa Clarita has compiled a list of about 100 residents since April, 1992, who have expressed interest in taking the bus into West Los Angeles. Flyers explaining the new service have been mailed to those on the list, Murphy said.

“We’ve got the customers here,” said Murphy. “It’s just getting the word out.”

The new commuter service began last week, with four departures from Santa Clarita before 7 a.m. and five departures from Century City between 4:40 and 5:45 p.m. City officials say it is the first direct bus service between Santa Clarita and the other cities.

Unlike the express commuter service that Santa Clarita runs to downtown Los Angeles, this route includes multiple stops outside of Santa Clarita.

The city plans to subsidize the route through June, 1995, and then consider whether to continue, expand or cancel it.

One-way fares from Santa Clarita are $1.90 to the San Fernando Valley and $2.30 to Westwood or Century City. Monthly passes are $66 and $78 respectively for adults and $25 for students.