RTD to Implement Significant Metro
and Commuter Service Changes
July 16, 2010

RTD Awarded $5.227 Million Federal
Grant for its Hammer Lane
BRT Corridor Project
July 9, 2010

San Joaquin RTD Board Awards
Contract to MV Transportation to
Operate and Maintain RTD's
“County” Services
July 9, 2010

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RTD to Implement Significant Metro and Commuter Service Changes
Effective in July and August 2010
(Stockton, CA) – At its June 15, 2010 meeting, San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD)’s Board of Directors approved significant changes to the Stockton Metropolitan (Metro) and Interregional (Commuter) routes that will be effective in July and August 2010, respectively. RTD must make these changes due to reduced state and local funding. These changes were recommended to the Board by RTD staff after conducting seven public hearings throughout San Joaquin County during the month of May to gather public input, in accordance with RTD policy.

Effective July 25, 2010, RTD will significantly modify and reduce Stockton Metropolitan Area Routes (SMA) operating on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays and will make minor modifications to SMA routes operating on weekdays. Since weekend routes will now arrive approximately every two hours, RTD will no longer issue transfers (good for two hours) on weekends but will instead replace them with discounted all-day passes that may be purchased by adult, senior, and disabled customers, for just the cost of two one-way fares ($3.00 and $1.50, respectively).

Effective August 1, 2010, RTD will also consolidate selected Interregional (Commuter) Routes 151, 152, 153, and 154, and implement a 3% fare increase on all Interregional (Commuter) Routes.

The route and service matrix found here summarizes the service reductions and changes that will begin July 25 and August 1.

For route and schedule information: RTD Customer Information Line - (209) 943-1111 or 1-800-HOW-TO-RIDE (1-800-469-8674).

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RTD Awarded $5.227 Million Federal Grant for its Hammer Lane
BRT Corridor Project
July 9, 2010
(Stockton, CA) – At a special event on July 8 at San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD)’s Downtown Transit Center, Federal Transit Administration Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan, with Congressmen Jerry McNerney and Dennis Cardoza, announced that RTD was awarded a $5.227 million grant for its Hammer Lane Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor Project through the Federal Bus and Bus Livability Grants Program.

This grant is funded by a nearly $300 million investment by the Department of Transportation in transit programs across the country through two competitive grant programs, known as the Urban Circulator Grant Program and the Bus and Bus Livability Grants Program. RTD’s Hammer Lane BRT Corridor Project was one of the 47 Bus and Bus Livability Grant Program projects selected from 281 applications totaling over $2 billion in funding requests.

With the $5.227 million federal grant, RTD can begin work on its third BRT line (the first east-west alignment) that will connect Interstate 5 and State Highway 99 along the Hammer Lane corridor, and connect to Metro Express at Pacific Avenue. Service along this corridor will provide convenient access to retail, commercial, residential, entertainment centers, industrial, and workforce housing.

RTD launched San Joaquin County’s first BRT service in 2007 with Metro Express, providing service between north Stockton and the DTC. This high-quality BRT service quickly became RTD’s highest ridership route, and currently provides an average of more than 2,500 passenger trips every day. With the goal of building upon and expanding this successful service, RTD is in the process of constructing a second phase of its BRT system to extend the Metro Express corridor from Downtown Stockton to south Stockton and the airport. Together, these three BRT lines will span Stockton’s most highly traveled arterials to form a backbone of service for a more efficient, reliable, and convenient bus transit system in Stockton.

To learn more about RTD’s BRT service, click here.

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San Joaquin RTD Board Awards Contract to MV Transportation to Operate and Maintain RTD's “County” Services
July 9, 2010
(Stockton, CA) – At its July 8 meeting, San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD)’s Board of Directors approved a resolution awarding MV Transportation, Inc. (MV) a five-year contract, effective September 1, for the operations and maintenance of the services RTD provides through its “County” yard operations: Intercity, Hopper, and San Joaquin Commuter. Under this contract, MV will be providing the services on behalf of RTD; RTD will continue to determine the routes and service levels and provide oversight to ensure continued provision of the high quality service customers have come to expect from RTD. RTD’s Board of Directors made this decision based upon the fact that MV is able to provide the services at the level required by RTD but at a lower cost.

According to RTD’s enabling legislation (the 1994 legislation that expanded the service boundaries of the former Stockton Metropolitan Transit District and established the San Joaquin Regional Transit District): “All new intercity, interregional, and rural services provided outside the Stockton Metropolitan Area shall be subject to open competitive bidding at least once every five years.” (California Public Utilities Code § 50075.5) RTD can bid on providing these services and has operated them since November 2002. In 2009, RTD’s Board of Directors actually awarded the service to RTD, contingent upon the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 276 signing an agreement on wages and benefits upon which RTD’s bid was based. However, the ATU did not sign that agreement, forcing RTD’s Board to again put out the services for bid.

In this second solicitation, RTD and MV were the two finalists in the bid process and on July 2, RTD and MV submitted their Best And Final Offers. To ensure objectivity in selecting “the lowest responsible bidder” (CA PUC § 50075.5), RTD’s procurement process was managed by an independent party: a former GM/CFO of another transit agency. The evaluation of the proposals was done by a panel composed of three northern California transit agency general managers and one representative from the County of San Joaquin.

The panel concluded that both MV and RTD were deemed responsible, equally qualified, and able to perform the required services, leaving price as the only distinction between the two proposals. In awarding the contract to MV in the amount of $27.3 million, RTD will save $3.2 million over the five-year term of the contract.

To ensure MV provides a high level of service, RTD has included performance standards with significant monetary damages if MV fails to meet RTD’s standards and, more importantly, significant monetary incentives if MV exceeds RTD’s requirements. Additionally, MV committed in its proposal to offer jobs to all current RTD employees. RTD remains committed to its Mission to provide a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system for the region and its Vision to be the transportation service of choice for the residents we serve.

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Archived News Items (Articles require Adobe Reader to be viewed. Get it free here)

	RTD to Implement Significant Metro and Commuter Service Changes July 16, 2010
	RTD Awarded $5.227 Million Federal Grant for its Hammer Lane BRT Corridor Project July 9, 2010
	San Joaquin RTD Board Awards Contract to MV Transportation to Operate and Maintain RTD's “County” Services July 9, 2010
	San Joaquin RTD Completing Bid Process for Its County Services June 24, 2010
	San Joaquin RTD Keeps County Operations Going Despite Neighboring Fire that Shut Down its Operating Facility June 16, 2010
	RTD Discontinues Service on Memorial Day May 20, 2010
	San Joaquin RTD to Provide Free Shuttle Service to Senior Awareness Day May 17, 2010
	April 28, 2010 RTD to Hold Public Hearings on Proposed July Metro Service Reductions, Interregional Route Consolidations, and Interregional Fare Increase
	March 26, 2010 RTD Discontinues Service on Easter Sunday
	March 17, 2010 RTD to Begin Sherwood Mall Shelter Project
	February 19, 2010 RTD Holds Call for Projects for the Stockton Large Urban Area
	February 17, 2010 RTD to Begin Channel Street Passenger Amenities Improvement Project
	February 10, 2010 RTD's Presidents' Day Holiday Service
	January 11, 2010 RTD's Marting Luther King Day Holiday Service
	December 16, 2009 RTD Will Not Operate Regular Service on Christmas or New Years' Day
	November 24, 2009 RTD's Stuff-the-Bus Collects Four Tons of Food!
	November 19, 2009 RTD Will Not Operate Regular Service on Thanksgiving Day
	November 3, 2009 San Joaquin RTD’s Veterans Day Holiday Service
	November 3, 2009 RTD Salutes U.S. Veterans with Free Rides on Veterans Day
	October 15, 2009 RTD Wins National Advertising Award
	October 2, 2009 San Joaquin RTD to Hold Public Hearings: Unmet Transit Needs
	September 30, 2009 Service Change Effective October 4, 2009
	September 30, 2009 Coming October 5: Metro Hopper
	August 24, 2009 San Joaquin RTD Driver Receives 'Safe Driver of the Year' Award for Pacific Region
	August 21, 2009 San Joaquin RTD Discontinues Service for the Labor Day Holiday
	August 3, 2009 San Joaquin RTD to Provide Free Rides to " Neighbors in Health"
	July 6, 2009 San Joaquin RTD to Hold Public Hearings on Adoption of January 2009 Service Changes and September 2009 Proposed Service Changes
	July 1, 2009 Independence Day Service Discontinued
	June 08, 2009 RTD Participates in National "Dump the Pump" Week
	May 14, 2009 RTD to Provide Free Shuttle to Senior Awareness Day
	May 14, 2009 RTD Discontinues Service on Memorial Day
	May 1, 2009 RTD Takes Action to Protect the Health of its Customers and Employees Against "Swine Flu"
	April 23, 2009 San Joaquin RTD Mall Transfer Station Grand Opening
	April 1 2009 San Joaquin RTD Discontinues Service on Easter Sunday
	March 5 2009 San Joaquin RTD's General Manager/CEO Named Transportation Manager of the Year
	February 6, 2009 San Joaquin RTD's Presidents Day Holiday Service
	January 13, 2009 RTD's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday Service
	January 6, 2009 RTD Introduces One-Stop Shop Service
	January 5, 2009 RTD to Host Customer Transit Forums Regarding Service Reductions
	December 15, 2008 Ride Free on San Joaquin RTD’s “Holly Trolley” in December!
	December 12, 2008 Christmas and New Years Day - Discontinued Service
	November 20, 2008 San Joaquin RTD Discontinues Thanksgiving Day Holiday Service
	November 6, 2008 10th Annual Stuff the Bus Food Drive
	November 5, 2008 San Joaquin RTD Gives Free Rides to Veterans on Veterans Day
	November 4, 2008 San Joaquin RTD's Veterans Day Holiday Service
	October 13, 2008 UPDATED - San Joaquin RTD to Hold Public Hearings on Unmet Transit Needs
	October 10, 2008 UPDATED - San Joaquin RTD Begins Mall Transfer Station Construction
	August 25, 2008 San Joaquin RTD's Labor Day Holiday Service
	August 21, 2008 San Joaquin RTD Board Approves Increased Fares, Discount Passes
	August 1, 2008 Public Transit Users Can Save Up To $8,000 Per Household Annually

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Archived News Items (Articles require Adobe Reader to be viewed. Get it free here)