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Gold Coast Transit outlines zero‑emission plans, ridership recovery and local services
Summary
Gold Coast Transit District general manager Vanessa Rauschenberger briefed the council on ridership recovery to 3.5 million annual riders, plans for hydrogen buses and a local fueling station, Youth Ride Free continuation, and local route services that serve Port Hueneme.
PORT HUENEME, Calif. — Vanessa Rauschenberger, general manager of Gold Coast Transit District, presented the agency’s annual update Monday, describing ridership recovery since the pandemic, local service levels and plans to begin a transition to zero‑emission buses.
Rauschenberger said the district recorded just over 3.5 million riders last year, surpassing pre‑pandemic levels and averaging about 20 passengers per revenue hour systemwide. She noted Route 1 (Oxnard Transit Center to Port Hueneme/beach) and Routes 21 and 23 are among the system’s most heavily used lines serving Port Hueneme. “Ridership goes up during special event days,” she said in response to a council question about festival impacts.
Zero‑emission transition and funding Rauschenberger told the council the district was awarded a $12 million federal grant in 2023 to begin conversion and is planning an on‑site hydrogen fueling station and five hydrogen fuel cell buses targeted for early 2027. The district currently operates compressed natural gas buses and offers fueling partnerships for municipal vehicles. The operating budget is just over $40 million; farebox recovery remains about 10–15% of operating revenue, with the rest from federal and state formula funds, Transportation Development Act allocations and cap‑and‑trade programs.
Local programs and fares The district participates in the countywide Youth Ride Free program (funded by low carbon transit operations program/Cap‑and‑Trade) and offers ACCESS curb‑to‑curb service for eligible riders and a Safe Ride service after 7 p.m. for general riders on a shared‑ride basis. Standard fare is $2, with reduced fares for seniors and people with disabilities and free fares for seniors 75+ and youth.
What council asked and next steps Councilmembers praised efforts to maintain service and asked staff about parking and map legibility at stops and whether ridership counts reflect school schedules; staff confirmed summer dips and peak fall demand with the start of school. Rauschenberger said public outreach on the short‑range transit plan will include Port Hueneme in the coming year and staff will continue local coordination on bus stop amenities.
