Calif.'s NCTD completes student pass program, gears up for electric buses
The program lowered the regularly priced $59 SPRINTER/BREEZE monthly pass by $25 per student; the final price of the pass varied based on additional discount.
The NCTD program resulted in over 21,500 discounted NCTD passes being purchased by students at multiple schools in North County.
NCTD
2 min to read
The NCTD program resulted in over 21,500 discounted NCTD passes being purchased by students at multiple schools in North County.
NCTD
On June 30, North County Transit District (NCTD) will complete a reduced fare program for students geared towards lowering carbon emissions in northern San Diego County. The program resulted in over 21,500 discounted NCTD passes being purchased by students at multiple schools in North County.
Funds for this program were made possible by the California Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). The program lowered the regularly priced $59 SPRINTER/BREEZE monthly pass by $25 per student; the final price of the pass varied based on additional discounts, including subsidies from some schools. The fare subsidy from LCTOP helped maintain SPRINTER ridership, as ridership was declining for BREEZE operations.
Ad Loading...
“Getting students out of cars and onto transit is not just a benefit to our congested roads here in North County, but also a contribution to having cleaner air in this beautiful region,” said Matthew Tucker, NCTD’s executive director.
The purpose of the LCTOP is to lower carbon emissions in the state through various programs; it is funded from state carbon credit sales in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. LCTOP allows agencies to rollover the funds they receive for up to three years. To help the region meet emission reduction goals, NCTD began saving LCTOP funds in 2017 — estimated at over $1.5 million each year — for the purchase of five electric buses.
NCTD’s BREEZE bus fleet consists of 163 buses. Currently, more than 80% of the fleet are compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. While CNG buses provide lower emissions than diesel, or standard gasoline buses, electric buses are even cleaner as they have zero emissions.
“Electric buses will be a great addition to NCTD’s current fleet,” Tucker continued. “The eventual transition to an all-electric fleet is our goal and this is a great step in the right direction.”
Participants in the reduced fare program for students included: California State University, San Marcos; Mira Costa College; Palomar College; and Vista Adult School.
The new facility will augment the current Metro Bus Transit Center and overall system as part of new routes and service improvements known as Metro Bus Forward.
The plan includes investments in cleaner vehicles and upgraded stations, NJT LiveView to provide real-time GPS tracking of train and light rail service, enhanced safety initiatives through a new Real Time Crime Center, and the debut of a redesigned NJ TRANSIT mobile app.
ABQ RIDE Forward is the first transit system overhaul in more than 25 years. This latest phase marks 15% completion of the 16-phase rollout, which will continue over the next several years.
In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.
John Hatman, COO of Master’s Transportation, breaks down the priorities, warning signs and common mistakes fleet managers should address now to stay ahead of summer demand.
The beginning of the final BRT segment advances construction across all five segments, reflecting steady progress toward shorter travel times, improved accessibility, and a more dependable connection to jobs, businesses, and community destinations.
