Journal Editor:

I'd like to offer some corrections to Matt Jackson's "On the bus" story [appeared in The Journal, 16 August 2007].

Matt writes that "recently, the county [sic: Humboldt Transit Authority] purchased some buses that produce cleaner emissions, and this trend could lead to a possible hike in fees as we roll toward a bigger and better transit system." Actually, new diesel-electric hybrid buses for Redwood Transit System (RTS) and Eureka Transit Service (ETS) were purchased using grant funding. They burn much less fuel than their older counterparts, so they actually reduce transit operating costs. If fare prices increase, it will be to keep pace with rising fuel costs and wages, likely not because of new bus purchases.

Of Jack Pass, HSU's new universal bus pass, Matt asks "So is the Jackpass an answer for the struggling student with up to $3.90 a day commuter fee? Or is it an effort to take the pressure off of parking issues?" Well, Jack Pass is designed to be both: a way of reducing transportation costs and greening the commute of students, faculty, and staff who can take the bus, while easing the crunch on parking for those who really need to take their cars to campus.

I'd also like to partially answer a question Matt's poses: if there are "plans in the works to expand the bus schedule?" Because of Jack Pass, the RTS schedule has already had the benefit of several additional trips added during the day. Unfortunately, however, evening service has not yet been extended. You can see the new schedule, which went into effect the same day as Jack Pass, at www.redwoodtransit.org. Granted, this new schedule was launched almost silently, which is probably why it wasn't mentioned in the Journal article.

Matt asks how we can add to local transportation coffers. The first point he seems to overlook is that Jack Pass itself will increase revenues for Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) and its subsidiary operations RTS and ETS. He brings up ideas about a half-penny sales tax for transit.

However, an additional local tax shouldn't be necessary to improve transit. Since 1971 with the passage of the Transportation Development Act (TDA), Californians have been paying a 0.25% sales tax that goes to transit, bicycle, and pedestrian purposes in their county. In Humboldt County, some of these funds are diverted away from transit for roads.

Here's the way TDA funds are distributed in Humboldt County: each entity receives a certain amount of funds. Arcata and Eureka both fund their respective transit services with these funds, and, along with other municipalities and the county, fund the Redwood Transit System. But there is an old agreement which sets proportions each entity gives. Eureka and Arcata spend all their TDA alotments so no additional money can be spent even though the county has leftover TDA money. This leftover county TDA money, approximately $700,000, goes to fund roads. This is a significant amount, as the annual RTS budget is about $1.4 million.

So, one way we can better fund inter-city bus service would be to ammend the aggreement that locks in proportions for TDA fund contributions by recipient entities to Redwood Transit System (contact your Humboldt County Supervisor and HCAOG and HTA board representatives). Other steps can include creating more universal bus pass programs like Jack Pass, perhaps for College of the Redwoods and local business to boost ridership and revenues. As with Jack Pass, additional revenues will make it possible to offer a more complete service schedule, which in turn will attract more riders and farebox revenue.

Sincerely,
Aaron Antrim