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El Paso transit official urges Socorro to join county authority as county buses set to stop stops inside city
Summary
An El Paso Transportation Authority official told the Socorro City Council that county buses will stop servicing stops inside Socorro effective July 1, 2025, unless the city becomes a member of the authority; he invited the city to join.
Good evening. My name is Javier Vinales. I am the interim director of the El Paso Transportation Authority and chair of the Regional Transportation Committee funded by TxDOT.
Vinales told the Socorro City Council at its March 20 meeting that the El Paso Transportation Authority (ETA) — created to provide countywide transit — now operates six routes and six paratransit buses, and that last fiscal year ridership on the three routes that run through or adjacent to Socorro exceeded 50,000 passengers. He said the county and several towns contribute to operations and that, effective July 1, 2025, county buses will not stop at stops located inside Socorro because the city is not a member of the El Paso Transportation Authority.
The ETA director described three historical options for county transit considered in a 1994 study: El Paso County operating its own program, the county purchasing services from Sun Metro, or a countywide transit agency. He said the third option has been implemented in the form of ETA and encouraged Socorro to join so residents would retain service. "You're invited to join and become a member," Vinales said during public comment.
Why it matters: Council members and residents heard that many Socorro riders use county routes for shopping, work, medical appointments and school. Losing on‑city stops could require residents to travel farther to board county buses or rely on transfers.
Details and context: Vinales said ETA’s board includes representatives from San Elizario, Clint, Horizon, Anthony, the village of Vinton and El Paso County; the county funds roughly 85% of county transit operating costs and the towns contribute about 15%. He noted historic growth in routes, drivers and midday service compared with 15 years ago. He did not provide a copy of any membership agreement or the specific legal or financial terms for Socorro to join ETA.
Next steps: Vinales extended an invitation to the council to pursue membership; no formal action by the council was recorded at the meeting on joining ETA. The council did not vote on transit membership during this session.
