Ventura County Transportation Commission presents short‑range transit plan to Fillmore council; proposes reinvesting in fixed routes and fare changes
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Summary
Claire Grama, director of public transit for the Ventura County Transportation Commission, presented the countywide Short‑Range Transit Plan to the Fillmore City Council, emphasizing reinvestment in fixed routes, price signals to encourage fixed‑route use, a microtransit booking app and fare‑capping via an open‑loop tap system.
Claire Grama, director of public transit for the Ventura County Transportation Commission, presented the countywide Short‑Range Transit Plan and discussed recommendations tailored to Fillmore, including reinvestment in fixed‑route service, adjustments to Valley Express routes, fare changes for dial‑a‑ride services and technology upgrades.
Grama said the plan's goals include strategic improvements to local and regional transit, coordination across providers, increased ridership, improved marketing, operating efficiency and addressing inequities in the transportation network. Plan components outlined included a market analysis, a service assessment, service recommendations, capital and financial plans and a study toward integrated demand response.
A central recommendation is to reinvest in fixed‑route service where street patterns and walkability support it and use demand‑response services to support rural and lower‑density areas so the two modes do not compete. For Fillmore, staff showed proposed Valley Express adjustments to serve developments such as Heritage Grove and to reconfigure some Fillmore stops; dashed lines on maps indicated service lines slated for removal and continuous lines new or continued service.
Grama described pricing changes to encourage fixed‑route use by moving some dial‑a‑ride fares higher and aligning fares across jurisdictions over time. She also described recent technology upgrades: a microtransit booking app that allows same‑day requests (where availability allows) and a countywide move to an open‑loop "tap to ride" card reader that enables fare capping so riders benefit once they reach a pass threshold without having to buy a pass up front.
Councilmembers asked about electric buses and the timetable for a zero‑emission fleet. Grama said VCTC has a zero‑emission bus rollout plan and grant funding allocations but that the main hurdle is locating a suitable operating base and installing costly charging infrastructure; grant funding is expected but a site and infrastructure are needed before wide deployment.
Councilmembers also sought local clarifications: whether proposed Fillmore routing changes would eliminate service near the high school (Grama said stops would still serve the high school but might move to a different side of the street) and whether routes could better match Ventura College evening schedules to support students. Grama invited further feedback during the outreach phase.
Grama closed by encouraging public feedback as the plan moves toward final recommendations; staff and the commission will accept comments during the outreach timeline.
