Metrolink Plans Additional Train

Hit the snooze button one more time, west county commuters. The train’s not leaving for another half hour.

Coming next fall, Metrolink should have one more train leaving and returning from Oxnard and Camarillo every business day.

The proposed Oxnard departure time: 6:46 a.m. The earlier Oxnard trains leave at 5:28 and 6:15 a.m.

“Having only two trains a day does limit people, and we think there is the potential for growth and more ridership,” said Mary Travis, Ventura County Transportation Commission planner. “We have already seen the growth in Simi and Moorpark.”

At the end of October, Metrolink extended trains to Simi Valley and Moorpark that used to stop service at Chatsworth. Now the east county has five departure times before 9 a.m., while the west county only has two.

Travis said that if this fiscal year, which is half over, continues as it started, the Ventura County line should make about $200,000 more this year than last.

“We are recovering about 43% of the line’s operating costs from fares,” she said. The industry standard is to recover about 30%.

Last year the line recovered about 38%. Translated into dollars, that means the line cost $8.6 million to operate last year, of which $3.3 million was made back in ticket sales. In 1999-2000 the line will cost $9.1 million to operate and will recover about $3.5 million.

When Metrolink started seven years ago, it recovered less than 20%, Travis said.

The rest of the money comes from state and federal grants.

“Ridership is slowly but surely increasing on the Ventura line because passengers tell other people--and the service has been very reliable,” Travis said.

Information on schedules is available at https://www.metrolinktrains.com or (800) 438-1112.