San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| San Diego Metropolitan Transit System |
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| Locale | San Diego, California |
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| Transit type | Light Rail Bus Paratransit Streetcar service in planning & implementation phases. |
| Began operation | 1977 |
| No. of lines | 3 light-rail lines; 87 bus routes |
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is the public transit service provider for Central, South, Northeast and Southeast San Diego County, in the United States. MTS operating subsidiaries include the San Diego Trolley, Incorporated (SDTI), and San Diego Transit, Corporation (SDTC). Average daily ridership among all public transit services provided is 280,100[1].
MTS owns the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway (SD&AE); and the San Diego Vintage Trolley, Incorporated.
MTS also licenses and regulates taxicabs, jitneys, and other private for-hire passenger transportation services provided contract for the cities of San Diego, El Cajon, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and Santee.
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[edit] Governance
MTS is a joint powers authority agency, or JPA. Member cities include San Diego, Chula Vista, Coronado, El Cajon, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Poway, Santee, and the county of San Diego. Elected officials from each jurisdiction, including San Diego County, serve as the Board of Director’s. The city of San Diego has the most representation with four members. A county resident is elected by the Board of Director’s to serve as the Chairman.
[edit] History
In 1975 the passage of Senate Bill 101 created the Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB). The initial charge of MTDB was to develop a mass transit system for the San Diego region. In 2005, MTDB changed its name to the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS).
[edit] Public transportation
MTS administers several public transportation services, including the San Diego Trolley and three light rail lines, 95 fixed-route bus services, and paratransit service. About half of its fixed-route bus services are contracted out to Veolia Transportation Services, First Transit, Inc., or Southland Transportation Services. MTS has begun providing their route schedules to Google and this has spawned a new generation of trip planners such as TransitTrips.
[edit] Light rail service
Light rail service is operated by the San Diego Trolley, Incorporated (SDTI). It is commonly referred to as The Trolley. Three lines are operated and are designated by the colors Blue, Orange and Green. Special Event service is also operated for large events occurring at Qualcomm Stadium, Petco Park and the San Diego Convention Center via a special event Red Line.
Light rail service provided by MTS is among the most utilized systems in terms of patronage in the United States. Over 100,000 typically ride the Trolley each weekday.
The Blue Line was the initial line to enter into service, operating between San Ysidro and Downtown San Diego. The Orange Line began service in March 1986 linking eastern suburban areas also to Downtown San Diego. The Green Line began service in July 2005 and included the system's first underground station located at San Diego State University. It operates predominantly in Mission Valley, linking Santee and Old Town.
[edit] Commuter and express bus service
Five commuter express fixed-route bus routes (Routes 810, 820, 860, 860, and 870) are operated Monday through Friday linking suburban areas to the north and east with downtown San Diego and Kearny Mesa. Each route runs inbound to downtown San Diego or Kearny Mesa during the morning commute period and outbound in the afternoon commute period. Over-the-road Greyhound style vehicles are used for these Commuter Express Services.
Six express fixed-route bus routes (Routes 20, 30, 50, 150, 210, and 960) are operated along major roadways and highways and link intermediate distant suburban areas to the San Diego urban area. Two of the six routes only operate during the morning and evening commute periods. Vehicles used for service are typically standard 40-foot buses or 60-foot articulated buses.
[edit] Urban and local bus service
Urban bus routes link the densely populated neighborhoods and adjacent cities together with direct and frequent bus service. These services constitute the bulk of fixed-route bus services operated in terms of vehicle requirements and patronage. Typically, headways are 12-15 minutes between scheduled bus arrival/departure times during commute periods and during midday times. Generally, no worse than 30-minute headways occur during non-commute periods and weekends.
Local routes and Shuttle services are also operated by MTS. These typically operate less frequently or have a shorter range.
[edit] Rural bus service
Rural transit services link the sparsely populated central and eastern portions of San Diego County to the San Diego urban core. Each rural service is linked to the San Diego Trolley and other fixed-route transit services at the El Cajon Transit Center. Routes 888, 891/892 and 894 constitute the rural services.
[edit] Connecting transit services
Connecting public transit services include the BREEZE bus, SPRINTER light rail, and COASTER commuter rail services operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). Amtrak operates several weekday and weekend train services (Pacific Surfliner) out of the downtown San Diego Santa Fe Depot. Some bus services enter the United States from Tijuana, Mexico.
[edit] Fares
Effective January 1, 2008, MTS raised fares and eliminated transfer passes for some fixed-route bus services. The regular passenger fare for each boarding increased from $1.75 to $2.25 per boarding to a maximum $2.00 to $2.25 per boarding depending on the route. The Monthly Pass increased from $60 to $64[2].
Although the cash fare increase was modest, $0.25, the elimination of free Transfer Passes was controversial.[citation needed] This impacted infrequent cash fare paying riders using multiple bus routes to complete their trip the most because each boarding requires the full fare be paid. As a response, MTS encouraged riders to purchase a $5 Daily Pass for access on the whole system as it is approximately the same cost as the total would be for a round trip utilizing a single bus for each direction and paying the single ride fare each time. Or, to consider purchasing a $64 Monthly Pass.
[edit] San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway
San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway is a division of MTS; however does not operate public transit service. Instead, the division manages and leases the tracks.
[edit] San Diego Eastern and Imperial Valley Railroad
[edit] References
- ^ American Public Transportation Association, APTA Fourth Quarter 2007 Agency Statistics, 2007.
- ^ Metropolitan Transit System, Take One Notice, December 15, 2007 - January 15, 2008.
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