Executive Director's Message

December 29, 2009

Terry Bassett Executive Director, YCTD

The new 2010 year will present many challenges for us.  Like all public transportation systems in the State of California, the Yolo County Transportation District (YCTD), which oversees YOLOBUS fixed route and paratransit services, is dealing with unprecedented losses in state and local revenues.  Our operating budget is dependent upon fares, federal funds (“urban” and “rural”), State Transit Assistance funds, the Local Transportation Fund (1/4 cent of the sales tax goes into that fund), and other sources like the Rumsey Tribe of Wintun Indians (which pays for service west of Woodland).  Our budget is also dependent upon transfer agreements between YCTD and Sacramento Regional Transit District.  These agreements outline how fare revenues are shared between the two operators.

Over the last three years, the State has diverted over $3 billion away from public transit systems and into the state general fund.  A recent State Supreme Court decision may force a halt to this, but the bottom line is that millions of dollars that could have been used for public transportation in Yolo County are gone.  Additionally, the slumping economy has caused sales tax receipts (where the ¼ cent Local Transportation Fund comes from) since July to dip 17.6% from the previous year.  YOLOBUS operations have also been impacted by the State’s “Furlough Friday” program, and we are not sure what else the State has in store with the next budget, yet alone the existing budget.

What does all this mean to you?  We are undertaking a review of all of our services, staffing levels, and other expenses to find ways to reduce our expenses while limiting adverse impacts on you, the riding public.  This effort could affect what we do during the remainder of the current fiscal year (through June 30, 2010), as well as next fiscal year.  Effective February 1, 2010, we will not run certain bus trips that have had very low ridership.  The cancelled trips include:

A more exhaustive list of additional service changes beyond those listed above is being developed.  We will do all that we can to keep you in the loop as we proceed.  Hopefully, the measures we take will help us run an effective, efficient service that is both valuable to you and affordable to YCTD.

Terry Bassett, Executive Director
Yolo County Transportation District