The Votes Are In!
2024 Readers' Choice is back, bigger and better than ever!
View Winners → Significant Changes to the Arcadia Transit System!
Arcadia Weekly Jan 27, 2016
by
share with
File Photo – By Terry Miller
By Jonathan Tsou
A convenient transportation system plays an important part in how people live and where people work in a city. In a little more than a month, the Arcadia Transit will be transformed from the traditional dial-a-ride service to a fixed route system. The change comes after a unanimous vote by the city council, a 30-day survey process, and numerous community meetings.
Since 1975, the Arcadia Transit has served thousands of riders. The system not only provides a safe and an inexpensive method of traveling around the city, but it also has become an important aspect of life for many people living in Arcadia. The system is funded by numerous local, state, and federal programs.
Last Nov. 3, Arcadia’s City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto proposed the Arcadia Transit Service Needs Assessment and Restructuring Plan. The plan includes an evaluation of the current Arcadia Transit system, a public outreach system, analysis of the transit needs, and recommendations for improvements. The goal is to meet the community needs and to anticipate the opening of the Gold Line train service while maintaining a dial-a-ride program for seniors and those with disabilities, creating a fixed-route system, and modifying the fare policy.
The 30-day survey period was between Feb. 26 and March 27, 2015. The results of the survey show that customers were very satisfied with the service, but many riders expressed their difficulties to reserving trips and to having their rides arrive on time. Following the survey, there were two community meetings also took place, one at the Arcadia Public Library and one at the City Council Chambers. Community members who attended the meetings also agreed that there are difficulties with the reservation system.
The plan is to create a fixed-route system similar to Laguna Beach Municipal Transit and Irvine iShuttle. There is also hope to increase the transit service to nearby cities. They hope to expand the service to Pasadena, Monrovia, and Temple City. The city council also put emphasize on the importance to continuing a dial-a-ride service for elderly passengers and passengers who are disabled.
The changes to the system will help improve transit service availability during school hours and remove the frustration for many patrons who do not know how to reserve a ride.
For students, Arcadia Unified School District does provide transportation through their fee-based busing program. Parents and students can find more information regarding the fee-based busing program on the Arcadia Unified School District’s website (http://site.ausd.net/).
With the Gold Line Foothill Extension opening on March 5, the city hopes to have the Arcadia Transit implementation begin on Feb. 28. The date will allow the Arcadia Transit to test and prepare for the increase of riders from the Gold Line Foothill Extension. For additional information about the new fixed routes and schedules check the Arcadia City website (http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us).
