Trinity County hears public-draft short-range transit plan; consultants recommend Saturday service, Lewon reductions and a one‑day NEMT pilot

Consultants from LSC presented the public draft of Trinity County’s Short-Range Transit Development Plan (SRTDP) and a Coordinated Transportation Plan at the April 21 board meeting, laying out recommended service changes and a five‑year capital and financial plan.

The presentation by Aadia Davis, LSC project manager, and Justine Marsh, senior transportation planner, framed the SRTDP as a five‑year business plan combining service, capital and financial recommendations. The draft was released for public comment and the consultants said they expect to finalize the plan by June.

Why it matters: the plan responds to demographic shifts and rider feedback. Consultants flagged a projected increase in county seniors and other transit‑dependent groups, said ridership fell sharply during COVID and has been gradually recovering, and proposed changes intended to increase efficiency and access.

The recommendations include adding a midday round trip on the Willow Creek line, shifting a Hayfork midday trip to midmorning and expanding weekday (now five‑day) service, maintaining Lewon as a Wednesday lifeline while reducing other Lewon runs, adding an evening round trip on the Reading line with an on‑demand dropoff at the Rabbit Transit Center, removing Turtle Bay service, and piloting Saturday cross‑county trips on Willow Creek and Reading. The plan also recommends piloting a county‑operated non‑emergency medical transportation (NEMT) service one day a week to serve communities not currently on fixed routes, such as parts of South County and Post Mountain.

Davis walked the board through the financials and performance analysis. The consultants projected the recommended package would increase ridership by about 20% and fare revenue by 28% in the plan’s first year, at an estimated marginal operating cost of roughly $173,000 in that first year. The five‑year capital plan identifies three vehicle replacements, facility rehabilitation and bus‑stop maintenance, with an open‑loop payment system in 2026–27 and electric bus charging infrastructure farther out.

On outreach and priorities: Justine Marsh summarized outreach including onboard surveys, an online community survey, three community workshops (Hayfork, Lewon, Weaverville), and about 50 stakeholder contacts. Saturday service and increased round trips were the most commonly requested improvements among onboard respondents; workshop participants emphasized increased access to Reading for medical and social services. Marsh said there is a knowledge gap among social‑service providers about available transportation options.

Board questions focused on cost metrics and long‑term funding. Supervisor Luteer pressed on the farebox recovery ratio and how federal funds and post‑COVID policy changes affect that metric; LSC explained that the pre‑COVID statutory target for many rural agencies was 10% farebox recovery but that policy and qualifying‑revenue rules have been adjusted since the pandemic, allowing federal funds to count toward the ratio. The consultants said the SRTDP presents both the strict pre‑COVID calculation and the legally allowable one that includes federal funds.

On Lewon and low‑use routes: supervisors raised concerns about reducing service for a high‑need community. LSC and staff said Lewon saw only about 70 passenger trips in a full year on the Wednesday service that remains and that community outreach there produced little turnout, so the recommended change preserves a Wednesday lifeline while reallocating other service to higher‑demand times and places.

Funding risks and sensitivities: supervisors asked for more detailed sensitivity analysis on fuel and other cost volatility. LSC said its standard practice is to apply a 3% annual inflation factor in five‑year projections and to use most recent actual expenditure data; the consultants encouraged the county and Trinity Transit to treat the plan as a living document and to re‑run projections if costs shift materially.

Actionable items and next steps: several of the recommended changes were already implemented by Trinity Transit (midday Willow Creek, Hayfork mid‑morning adjustments and Lewon Wednesday lifeline). The consultants recommended piloting the one‑day‑per‑week NEMT program and moving many changes into the first year (2026–27) if funding and operations permit. Staff said the public comment period remains open and the board encouraged continued outreach to underserved areas.

Representative quotes: "We start with looking at existing conditions…then we come up with a list of potential service changes or alternatives that we can look at and we evaluate" — Aadia Davis, LSC project manager. "Saturday service was the most popular requested service" — Justine Marsh, LSC.

What comes next: staff will accept public comments on the draft and return final recommendations in advance of the June wrap‑up date. The board requested additional sensitivity analysis on fuel and cost assumptions and more targeted outreach (including direct mailers) to communities such as Lewon to confirm demand before further service shifts.

Provenance: presentation and Q&A in transcript from SEG 313 through SEG 747 (topicintro SEG 313; topfinish SEG 747).