SACRAMENTO, CA - Sacramento Regional Transit on Thursday announced the deepest service cuts in the agency's history to meet a $25 million budget shortfall.
Service will be reduced or eliminated on 39 of the 91 bus routes, and late night light rail service will be discontinued. The changes take effect on Sunday.
"It's been well publicized that RT is faced with the biggest operating deficit in our history," RT General Manager Mike Wiley said in a written statement.
Wiley said RT has implemented a number of measures to balance the budget, including fare increases and and pay freezes. By September, RT will have reduced its workforce through layoffs and retirement by about 180 employees.
RT said the service reductions and other cost-cutting measures, combined with about $11.1 million in state transit assistance funds expected to be restored next year will balance the budget for fiscal year 2011.
RT announced the following reductions in service:
Discontinued Routes
Weekdays: 4, 8, 9, 10, 18, 20, 36, 50E, 63, 73, 83, 89, 94, 95, 100, 101, 102, 104, 106, 107, 141, 142, 200, 201, 251 and 261
Saturdays: 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16, 24, 28, 54, 61, 65, 74 and 143
Sundays: 8, 13, 14 and 22
Discontinued Service After 9 p.m.
Weekdays: Light Rail (Blue Line and Gold Line), 1, 13, 14, 15, 21, 23, 30, 38, 51, 56, 61, 62, 67, 68, 72, 80, 81, 82, 86, 87, 88 and 93
Saturdays: Light Rail (Blue Line and Gold Line), 1, 15, 21, 22, 23, 30, 51, 56, 67, 68, 81 and 88
Sundays: Light Rail (Blue Line and Gold Line), 1, 15, 21, 51, 56, 67, 68, 81 and 88
Service Frequency Changes
Weekdays: 1, 2, 6, 34, 38 and 61
Saturdays: Light Rail (Blue Line and Gold Line), 1, 30, 51 and 81
Sundays: Light Rail (Blue Line and Gold Line), 23, 30, 56 and 81
Minor Schedule Changes
Weekdays: 74 and 75
Saturdays: 55
Route and Schedule Changes
Weekdays: 28
by George Warren, GWarren@news10.net
News10/KXTV