Elk Grove Bus Riders Riled Over Looming Route Cuts

Although the Elk Grove City Council had nothing on their agenda for their regular meeting last night regarding the city’s bus service, they spent a lot of time listening to riders express concern over looming service cuts effective Tuesday, September 1.

Scores of regular riders of e-Tran outes 52 and 53 crowded the council chambers to express their concerns and displeasure with the cuts to what they say are highly utilized routes.

According to the city’s website, next Tuesday four morning and afternoon runs on Route 52 will be discontinued. Route 53 will have one morning and one afternoon runs discontinued.

Among the dozens of riders in attendance was Maria Jaya who addressed the council during the public comment portion of the meeting. Jaya presented the council a petition signed by 180 seeking to maintain service on 52 and 53.

Jaya also showed the council a recent photo (see above) of a standing-room-only bus on route 53. “This [bus] was packed to the gills,” Jaya told the council.

Another of the 10 people commenting on the service cuts was Anna Ching who suggested funding for the bus service could come form other city programs. “Maybe we can use the think, shop, live Elk Grove funding,” Ching said.

One of the points of contention for all speakers was the lack of adequate communication of the route cuts. They also expressed skepticism that other routes could handle the overflow from the discontinued runs.

“I have a right to be notified in advance,” Peggy Hardaway said. Hardaway noted that while she can get alternate transportation, the cuts will be a hardship for several riders on the routes. “I am angry for the others,” she said to a round of loud applause.

City transportation manager Tiffani Fink said that notices were posted on all buses of possible cuts that were generic in nature. Council member Gary Davis admonished Fink and said the notices should have been specific. 

In response to council questioning, Fink said that any change in service requires a 30 day notification posting. After a lengthy discussion, it was determined that the 30 day requirement was a city imposed guideline. 

The council asked city attorney Susan Cochran to see if the 30 day requirement could be waived and to she if a special meeting could be held to reconsider the cuts.

(As of posting time, no further information regarding the waiving of the 30 day requirement or a special meeting is available according to city public information officer Christine Brainerd. EGN will update this posting as new information becomes available.) 

Other aspects of the overall cuts to bus service were also addressed during the public comment period. 

MV Transportation (who operates the e-Tran bus service) shop steward Ray Harvey noted the negative affect it will have on bus drivers. “It is going to impact our drivers,” Harvey said.

Gavonna Payne, a frequent user of e-Tran’s services for the disabled said the cuts in services will be particularly disruptive to the disabled and elderly segments of the community. Payne said many of the taxi’s being proposed for service in lieu of the current van service are not wheelchair accessible.

“That to me is discriminatory,” she said.