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Gold Coast Transit outlines zero‑emission plan, ridership gains and funding mix
Summary
Gold Coast Transit District presented an annual update to the Ojai City Council on Sept. 9, describing ridership recovery, a $40 million operating budget for 2026, a hydrogen fuel‑cell bus conversion plan and reliance on state and federal grants rather than fare revenue.
Gold Coast Transit District General Manager Vanessa Rauschenberger told the Ojai City Council on Sept. 9 that the agency is planning an initial conversion of its fleet to zero‑emission buses and has seen ridership recover above pre‑pandemic levels.
Rauschenberger said Gold Coast’s 2026 operating budget is just over $40 million, about 50% from state funds and roughly 25% from federal sources. “Public transit is not primarily funded by fares,” she said, and added that passenger fares account for less than 10% of the system’s revenue, with youth and other fares reimbursed by state programs.
The district operates 17 routes across Western Ventura County, including Route 16 between Ojai and the Pacific View Mall, and connects to the…
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