Sacramento Regional Transit District
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|---|---|
| Founded | April 1, 1973 |
| Headquarters | 1225 R Street |
| Locale | Sacramento, California |
| Service area | Sacramento and Sacramento County |
| Service type | Bus and light rail |
| Routes | 69 (bus) 3 (light rail) |
| Stops | 3,588[1] |
| Hubs | 31 transfer centers 18 park and ride lots[1] |
| Stations | 48 (light rail)[1] |
| Fleet | 229 buses 76 active LRVs 21 inactive LRVs |
| Daily ridership | 33 million (annually)[1] |
| Fuel type | CNG, Diesel-electric hybrid |
| Operator | RT |
| Website | http://www.sacrt.com |
The Sacramento Regional Transit District, commonly referred to as RT, is the agency responsible for public transportation in the Sacramento, California area. It was established on April 1, 1973, as a result of the acquisition of the Sacramento Transit Authority. Along with about 60 bus routes, RT operates a large light rail system and connecting bus service in the Sacramento area, covering 418 sq mi (1,082.6 km2). It is currently the eleventh busiest light rail system in the United States.
In addition to the city of Sacramento, RT serves much of the northern portion of Sacramento County which includes the incorporated cities of Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova. The unincorporated areas of Sacramento County under the RT service area include Arden Arcade, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Florin, Gold River, North Highlands, Orangevale, Rio Linda and Rosemont.[2] The system formerly provided express bus service between Downtown Sacramento and Elk Grove until the mid-2000s when that city took over bus operations under the newly created E-tran.
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History [edit]
RT began operations on April 1, 1973, with the acquisition of the Sacramento Transit Authority. Later that year RT completed a new maintenance facility and purchased 103 buses.
Over the next decade RT continued to expand bus service to the growing Sacramento Region while a cooperative effort emerged among city, county and state government officials to develop a light rail system. In 1987 the 18.3-mile (29.5 km) light rail “starter line” opened, linking the northeastern (Interstate 80) and eastern (Highway 50) corridors with Downtown Sacramento. As light rail ridership increased, RT continued to expand the light rail system. RT completed its first light rail expansion along the Highway 50 corridor in September 1998 with the opening of the Mather Field/Mills Station. Five years later (September 2003) RT opened the first phase of the South Line, a 6.3-mile (10.1 km) extension to South Sacramento. In June 2004, light rail was extended from the Mather Field/Mills station to Sunrise Boulevard, and on October 15, 2005 a 7.4-mile (11.9 km) extension from the Sunrise station to the city of Folsom was opened.
In December 2006, the final leg of the Amtrak/Folsom project was extended .7-mile (1.1 km) to the downtown Sacramento Valley Station, connecting light rail with Amtrak inter-city and Capitol Corridor services as well as local and commuter buses. Within the next several years, RT plans to extend light rail beyond Meadowview in South Sacramento to Cosumnes River College and north to Sacramento International Airport. RT currently operates 97 bus routes in a 418-square-mile (1,080 km2) service area.
RT is governed by an eleven-member Board of Directors composed of members of the Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, and Folsom City Councils as well as members of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. The fiscal year 2006 operating budget is $148.54 million, with a capital budget of $15.4 million.
RT employs a work force of approximately 1,163 people, 80 percent of whom are dedicated to operations and maintenance of the bus and light rail systems. RT operates three maintenance and operations facilities – one for buses at 29th and N Streets, one for the Community Bus Service at McClellan Park, and one for the light rail system at 2700 Academy Way in North Sacramento.
Fares [edit]
| Group | Fare Type | Single | Daily Pass | Monthly Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19-61 | Basic | $2.50 | $6.00 | $100.00 |
| Student (5-18) | Discount | $1.25 | $3.00 | $50.00 |
| Disabled | Discount | $1.25 | $3.00 | $50.00 |
| Senior 62+ | Discount | $1.25 | $3.00 | $50.00 |
| Super Senior 75+ | Discount | Senior Fare | Senior Fare | $40.00 |
PrePaid Ticket Books [edit]
PrePaid tickets are sold in books of ten.
| Group | Fare Type | Single | Daily Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19-61 | Basic | $25.00 | $60.00 |
| Senior 62+ | Discount | $12.50 | $30.00 |
| Disabled | Discount | $12.50 | $30.00 |
| Student (5-18) | Discount | $12.50 | $30.00 |
Class Pass [edit]
Regional Transit also offers the Class Pass for use during 9am-3:30pm. For any group of ten or more students that are pursuing a high school diploma the cost is $2.50 per student and $5.00 for each adult.
Bus service [edit]
Since 2004, with the exception of some neighborhood shuttle vans (see #The Neighborhood Ride below), the bus fleet is consisted exclusively of Orion 07.501 (VII) and Orion VII Next Generation buses powered by compressed natural gas. The RT system operates 65 bus routes, as of 2010, with service between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. daily. Frequencies range between every 15 and 80 minutes (some express buses run only a few times a day). Since light rail has opened, buses have generally acted as feeders to light rail routes.
The RT system does not provide service to Sacramento International Airport. Service between downtown Sacramento and the airport is instead provided on an hourly basis by the Yolobus system.[3]
Bus fleet (FY2010) [edit]
- 216 buses
- 17 shuttle vans
- 1 Holiday Bus
- 233 Total
Most popular bus routes [edit]
The numbers provided are average weekday boardings.
Transit Centers [edit]
| Transit Center | Location | Bike lockers | Transfers |
|---|---|---|---|
| American River College | Location | No | 1, 82 |
| Arden Fair Mall | Location | No | 22, 23, 29, 67, 68 |
| Cosumnes River College | Location | No | 54, 55, 56 |
| CSUS | Location | No | 30, 31, 34, 82, 87 |
| Florin Mall | Location | No | 47, 51, 55, 67, 68, 81 |
| Sunrise Mall | Location | No | 1, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28 |
| Louis and Orlando | Location | No | Sacramento Regional Transit 21, 93, and 103 Roseville Transit A, B, R, and Commuter Placer County Transit to Auburn, CA |
Light rail [edit]
| Sacramento RT Light Rail | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 A Siemens Duewag U2A in downtown Sacramento |
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| Background | |||
| Locale | Sacramento, CA | ||
| Transit type | Light rail | ||
| Number of lines | 3 | ||
| Number of stations | 48 | ||
| Daily ridership | 50,000[5] | ||
| Website | http://www.sacrt.com/ | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | March 12, 1987 | ||
| Operator(s) | Sacramento Regional Transit District | ||
| Number of vehicles | 76 | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 38.6 mi (62.12 km) (light rail) | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) | ||
| Electrification | Overhead lines, 750 V DC | ||
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RT operates a 38.6-mile (62.12 km) light rail system, consisting of three rail lines, 48 stations, and 76 vehicles. The LRV fleet consist of Siemens-Duewag U2A vehicles, which have been in use since the light rail's inception and more modern CAF trains delivered in 2003.[6]
Before the June 2010 budget cuts, RT light rail formerly operated from 4:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily with 15 minute headways during the day. (Only the RT bus service division has never operated beyond midnight, even the busiest routes.) After the budget cuts took place, it was curtailed to operate from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with service every 15 minutes in the day Monday through Friday and every 30 minutes on weekends and every night. The light rail system, with 44,400 daily boardings, is the eleventh busiest in the United States.
The creation and maintenance of the light-rail system is pushed by the advocacy group Friends of Light Rail and Transit.
Most popular light rail stations [edit]
Numbers provided are average weekday "on & offs"
Blue Line - Watt/I-80-Downtown-Meadowview Line [edit]
Gold Line - Downtown-Sunrise Folsom Line [edit]
Green Line - Downtown-Township 9 [edit]
Future projects [edit]
Future plans include extending the Green Line to the Sacramento International Airport via the neighborhood of Natomas.[10] A planned extension to Roseville, once a top priority, has been on hold for years. Extensions to Davis, Elk Grove, Woodland and other locations are shown on the 20-Year Transit Master Plan, adopted by RT in October 1993.
Blue Line extension project [edit]
The 'Blue Line to Cosumnes River College light rail extension Project' — the second phase in the South Sacramento Corridor Study — commenced construction in 2011. [11] [12][13] The first phase of this study (Downtown Sacramento to Meadowview Road) has been completed and is operating.[11] Both Blue Line extensions are component in the 10-year Rail Development Plan for a new light rail corridor in the South Sacramento area.[11] Completion of the project, including four new stations, and initiating revenue service is anticipated to begin in September 2015. [12] The current project will extend the Blue Line south to a new Cosumnes River College—CRC terminus.[11]
- New Blue Line stations under construction, north to south from the existing Meadowview Station, are
- [14]
- Morrison Creek Station
- Franklin Station
- Center Parkway Station
- Cosumnes River College Station
- Planning issues
The line is currently ending at the college in response to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) land use, station accessibility, and federal grants needs. Other changes include: a new station at Morrison Creek (half-way between Meadowview and Franklin); improved pedestrian access to Franklin and Center Parkway stations; and a 2000 car parking structure, replacing previously planned surface parking, at Cosumnes River College.[11] [15] [16]
California's ongoing financial crisis also contributed to the decision to terminate the Blue Line extension project at Cosumnes River College. Expansion to Elk Grove is covered in the TransitAction Plan, which is tied to the SACOG Blueprint, and a schedule has yet to be determined. [11][16]
Paratransit [edit]
To meet the requirements of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, the RT established a Paratransit service in 1993, which is a door-to-door service for the disabled.
The Neighborhood Ride [edit]
In 2006, RT created a new division internally known as "Community Bus Service". Known to the ridership as "The Neighborhood Ride"
- The Neighborhood Ride shuttles are smaller buses (approximately 35 feet (11 m) or less in length) that offer residents greater mobility and new transit options on local intra-community trips.
- The Neighborhood Ride shuttles have regular, pre-designated, pre-scheduled routes, but offer special curb-to-curb service (not to be confused with ADA/paratransit door-to-door service). The shuttles are able to "deviate" travel off route up to ¾ of a mile to pick up and drop off seniors, age 62 and older, and disabled passengers who have a valid ADA/paratransit pass
- Passengers pay only $1.10 per trip (55 cents for passengers paying a discount fare). RT monthly passes, daily passes, and transfers are also accepted. Passengers with valid ADA/paratransit passes ride free.
- All passengers (except for Lifetime Pass holders), including those with valid ADA/paratransit passes, must pay an additional $1.10 for a route deviation.
- Marked bus stops are located along the route and printed schedules are available at several locations around Sacramento and on Regional Transit's Web site.
- Each shuttle can transport 12-17 passengers and up to two wheelchairs.
Fleet Images [edit]
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Archives Plaza Station
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CAF LRV at Archives Plaza Station
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A CAF LRV Interior
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A Watt/I-80 Bound
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A Watt/I-80 Bound
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A Siemens Duewag U2A bound for Downtown at Sacramento Valley Station
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Orion V
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Orion VII Next Generation
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Tourist trolleys
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Sacramento Transit Bus at Mather Field/Mills LRT Station
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Siemens Duewag U2A Interior
Accidents and Incidents [edit]
On April 9, 2010 at about 10:20 a.m. a Blue Line train struck a vehicle at the 47th Ave. crossing. The vehicle, a green Honda Accord was dragged about 100 feet (30 m). Inside the vehicle was a woman about the age of 40, She was pronounced dead at U.C. Davis Medical Center. The cause was revealed to be the woman who drove her car around the crossing gates which were down.
A man was hospitalized April 26, 2010 after he was hit by a light rail while talking on a cell phone.The crash happened near the Iron Point Station in Folsom at about 10 a.m. Investigators said the pedestrian was walking on the tracks and not paying attention to what was coming toward him. The pedestrian on the tracks never looked up at all throughout the entire incident. The operator told investigators that he had spoken to the injured person, and the guy said that he was walking on the tracks because he didn't want to be walking on the roadway while talking on his cell phone. The pedestrian was in serious condition at UC Davis Medical Center. Passengers on the train had an hour delay.
Deputies were called shortly after 9 a.m. on April 27, 2010 to the Zinfandel station. Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran said one person shot the victim in the leg and then fled. Investigators said a fight broke out on a light rail train, culminating in a shooting once the train reached the station platform. The alleged shooter was seen running across the parking lot outside a nearby Ross store, Curran said. The victim was expected to survive, authorities said. RT service did not appear to be affected.
On November 11, 2010 a pick up truck ran into the side of a moving Regional Transit Light Rail Train at 10:15 a.m. at Starfire Drive and Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento County. The train was only scratched in the collision. Only one passenger received medical attention for minor injuries; the two people in the truck were not hurt.
A Siemens light rail vehicle on a Gold Line train caught fire and started to smoke on December 23, 2010 at approximately 7:30 p.m. near the College Greens station. A communications issue between the Sacramento Fire Department and the Regional Transit light rail operator occurred when the train began to move from the station where the fire was being doused to the Watt/Manlove station over a mile away. The fire caused service disruptions to Gold Line trains traveling in both directions for up to an hour. The car (#136) was towed out of service to the Regional Transit maintenance facility on Academy Way. The fire was likely caused by an overheated generator and battery located on the bottom of the train.
On January 28, 2012 three people died after their vehicle collided with a light rail train. The accident took place at the crossing near the intersection of 25th Street and 26th Avenue just before 4:45 p.m. A black Pathfinder SUV was hit by the southbound Meadowview train. The gate arms at the train tracks were down. All three fatalities were occupants of the vehicle. At least 17 injured victims have been taken to the hospital for treatment.
See also [edit]
- List of rapid transit systems
- Light rail in North America
- Light Rail
- Roseville Transit
- Placer County Transit
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d http://www.sacrt.com/documents/RT%20Fact%20Sheets/RT%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
- ^ http://www.sacrt.com/systemmap/systemmap.stm
- ^ Yolobus.com Sacramento Airport Routes and Schedules
- ^ a b c pg6 RT Fact Sheets - Sacramento Regional Transit
- ^ "RT at a Glance" (stm). 50,000 light rail and 58,000 bus. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
- ^ "Sacramento Regional Transit Light Rail FACT SHEET" (pdf). Retrieved 2007-01-23.
- ^ RT Fact Sheets - Sacramento Regional Transit
- ^ RT Fact Sheets - Sacramento Regional Transit
- ^ RT Fact Sheets - Sacramento Regional Transit
- ^ Sacramento RT website: "Green Line to the Airport"
- ^ a b c d e f Blue Line to Cosumnes River College (CRC) light rail extension project Website . accessed 4.14.2013
- ^ a b Official Blue Line extension website: Project Schedule (completed and current) . accessed 4.14.2013
- ^ Official Blue Line extension website: Current Construction Activity (Latest Construction Activity + Lane Closures Updates webpage) . accessed 4.14.2013
- ^ Official Blue Line extension website: Blue Line extension Map (with route, stations, and flyover bridges).
- ^ Official Blue Line extension website: "In order to compete for Federal funding, terminus stations (such as the one proposed at Cosumnes River College) need to provide sufficient parking to claim ridership. A computer model generates the anticipated demand for spaces required at each of the stations. The model calculated a demand of 2,000 spaces for the College." . accessed 4.14.2013
- ^ a b South Sacramento Corridor Phase 2 Project
External links [edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sacramento Regional Transit District |
- Sacramento Regional Transit District official website
- Friends of Light Rail, a Sacramento light rail advocacy group
- Sacramento Regional Transit on the Sacramento Wiki
- Pictures of LRT System at NYC Subway
- System Map of the Sacramento Regional Transit
- List of RT bus routes and descriptions
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- Sacramento Regional Transit District
- Transportation in Sacramento, California
- Public transportation in Sacramento County, California
- Intermodal transportation authorities in California
- Bus transportation in California
- Transit authorities with natural gas buses
- Passenger rail transportation in California
- Light rail in California
