Commuter Shuttle May Stay in Service

A new Valleywide commuter shuttle service, funded by federal earthquake aid funds, may be here to stay, thanks to its popularity among Metrolink riders.

Aaron Hanson, executive director of the 12th District Transportation Management District, said that in its first two months of operation the emergency shuttle service has carried about 188 people per day--about the number projected by local transportation officials.

Three nonprofit business associations, the 12th District Transportation Management Assn., the Warner Center Transportation Management Organization and the Van Nuys Transportation Management Assn., were awarded about $1 million in federal aid for the service after the Jan. 17 quake.

The grant is up for renewal April 17. That’s when federal officials decide whether there are enough people using the service to warrant spending more.

Hanson said about 60 shuttles owned by private firms are now on duty at the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station. Commuters arriving from Santa Clarita and beyond tell attendants of the general area they’re headed, and the trips are planned according to demand. In the afternoon, commuters call to arrange rides from work to the Metrolink station.

Hanson said ridership numbers were highest immediately following the quake and dropped shortly after, but are now holding steady.

Using private contractors holds down costs, he said.

“This system is very demand responsive, and it costs a lot less than running it through the entire MTA (Metropolitan Structure Authority) structure,” he said.