Agoura Hills : City Considers Asking for Beach Bus Funds

Concerned over the mounting costs of its popular summer beach-bus program, Agoura Hills is considering asking three neighboring cities to help fund the service.

Audrey Brown, Agoura Hills’ director of community services, said residents of Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks and Oak Park already use the bus, so it’s only fair that those cities contribute.

“We see this as a regional approach,” Brown said. “If we’ve got riders from the other cities that are participating, then it cuts the costs down for everybody.”

The City Council will vote on Brown’s recommendation Wednesday at a 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall.

A survey of ridership over a six-week period last summer showed that 291 Agoura Hills residents rode the bus, as well as 128 Westlake Village residents and 116 Oak Park residents.

Summer beach-bus programs--designed for young people who don’t have cars--have become popular in area cities over the years.

Westlake Village and Agoura Hills funded the program jointly for the past two years, until Westlake Village announced earlier this year it was dropping out, citing declining ridership.

Last summer, Agoura Hills paid $24,500 for the bus service, which is contracted to Durnham Transportation. The year before, when Westlake Village was participating, Brown said, Agoura Hills’ portion was $15,900. Riders pay 50 cents each way.