AC Transit to declare fiscal emergency, reduce service, seeking public input

AC Transit will hold public hearings May 26 on the agency’s intention to declare a fiscal emergency and the proposed Service Reductions Plan for August 2010. The hearings will be held together at both 2 p.m. and 6 p.m...

In late March, AC Transit implemented a 7.7 percent reduction in service hours, for annual savings of approximately $10.3 million. Despite this action, along with ongoing, aggressive pursuit and implementation of cost savings in every area of the agency, AC Transit is confronting an estimated $56 million deficit in the coming fiscal year ending June 2011.

Declining revenues from traditional sources, including sales and property tax, and state transit funding, continue to hamper the agency's ability to maintain bus service at its current level.

Proposed Service Reductions Plan
Staff estimates that an additional $11.4 million in service cuts is now necessary to help contain costs and balance the budget. Achieving these savings will mean an 8.4 percent service reduction. Staff has developed a set of scenarios for consideration by the public and the Board of Directors.
The final reductions plan could include some or all of the changes from one or more of the three scenarios below.

1. Operate only trunk and major corridor services on the weekends.
2. Modify All Nighter or late-night services.
3. Distribute reductions across weekday, late-night, and weekend services.

Following the close of the public hearings, the Board of Directors may decide to make its determinations that evening or at a subsequent meeting. The Board may choose to accept, modify, reject, or defer each of the proposed service changes. The adopted service changes will likely be implemented in August 2010
How to Comment
Individuals, organizations, and agencies may submit comments on the proposed declaration of fiscal emergency and the proposed Service Reductions Plan in a number of ways:

• Speak at the public hearings
• Submit written comments, which must be received by 12:00 noon, Monday, May 24
  • by mail to AC Transit Board of Directors, 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612
  • by fax to (510) 891-4874
  • by e-mail to planning@actransit.org
  • by online comment form
• Leave comments in a voicemail message by 12:00 noon, Monday, May 24, by calling (510) 891-4854

More information available on www.actransit.org.