Ridgecrest candidates debate limits of city dial‑a‑ride service

At the Ridgecrest mayoral candidate forum, incumbent Mayor Eric Bruin and challenger Travis Endicott were asked about limitations of the city’s dial‑a‑ride transit service and how they would address community needs.

The issue matters because transit affects residents’ access to health care, jobs and regional travel in a geographically isolated community where alternatives are limited.

Travis Endicott, a mayoral candidate, said he was not aware of the specific limitations and could not propose a solution. Endicott said, “I am not aware of these limitations… I’m not able to address the needs,” reflecting a lack of prior briefing on the system at the forum.

Eric Bruin, Ridgecrest mayor and a candidate for a third term, said the city faces structural limits tied to geography and budget. “Let’s just remember we’re in the middle of nowhere, guys,” Bruin said. He described the dial‑a‑ride system as the city’s most practical transit model given low ridership and constrained revenue and said the system’s trip tracking helps the city document mileage and claim reimbursements that support road funding.

Bruin said a high‑frequency, route‑based system is unlikely for Ridgecrest: “There’s no way we could manage a mass transit type of system. That’s never gonna be here.” He cited additional technical and regulatory hurdles, including state carbon‑emission mandates and electric‑bus considerations.

Neither candidate offered a specific plan to expand regular, frequent fixed routes. Bruin framed the dial‑a‑ride service as a necessary but limited program tied to the city’s budget and population size; Endicott said he would need time to study the system’s constraints.

The candidates’ discussion did not include a formal policy change or new funding proposal.

Forum moderators and organizers provided the question to candidates during the event; no further public details about ridership, budget figures or service hours were provided on the record at the forum.