March 2018 UNIFIED ACTION
Sponsored by David Armijo, South Central Regional Transit District (SCRTD), admin@scrtd.org
THE ISSUE
The South Central Regional Transit District (SCRTD) is the only general public transit system serving the poorest communities of Doña Ana County. Monthly ridership on SCRTD buses increased 166% from October 2016 through September 2017; annual rides are now approaching 30,000. The North Central Regional Transit District (started in 2004) had similar ridership in its second year; their current ridership is approximately 500,000 per year. The SCRTD is on the same trajectory.
The current Director has reduced the cost per passenger trip by 25% and the cost per vehicle mile by nearly 30%. During its first two years of operation, the SCRTD met or substantially met 17 of 22 objectives contained in its 2015 Service and Financial Plan. The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) ranks the SCRTD’s efficiency as 10th of 22 rural transit providers in New Mexico. The SCRTD received clean audits from an outside firm in 2017 and 2018.
The SCRTD’s largest revenue sources are annual $350,000 contributions from Doña Ana County and matching Federal grants which the County’s contributions make possible. The $350,000 comes entirely from the Hold Harmless Excise Tax and is just 3.5% of that revenue. It is just 0.025% of the County’s total budget. The cost per county taxpayer for the SCRTD is $1.75 per year. To date, funding from Federal grants has been $974,216 and is over 60% of the total agency funding.
Services need to be provided to communities in northern Doña Ana County and to jobs in southern Doña Ana County. SCRTD cannot expand its services without additional funding.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING
Contact the Doña Ana County Commissioners and say:
“Please increase the annual contribution to the South Central Regional Transit District from $350,000 to $500,000 in order to provide services to northern Doña Ana County and to expand services in southern Doña Ana County. Thank you.”
| District 1: Billy G. Garrett
bgarrett@donaanacounty.org O: 575 525 5808 C: 575 915 5755
District 2: Ramon S. Gonzalez rgonzalez@donaanacounty.org O: 575 525 5804 C: 575 635 5212
District 3: Benjamin L. Rawson brawson@donaanacounty.org O: 575 525 5807 C: 575 649 4153 | District 4: Isabella Solis
isolis@donaanacounty.org O: 575 525 5810 C: 575 635 2479
District 5: Kim Hakes khakes@donaanncounty.org O: 575 525 5809 C: 575 635 5146
County Manager: Fernando Macias fernandom@donaanncounty.org O: 575 525 5802
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