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TRANSPORTATION RVTD braces for cuts to bus routes Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 at 4:40 PM Updated Jan 2, 2015 at 5:50 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 at 4:40 PM Updated Jan 2, 2015 at 5:50 PM » Social News A popular bus route from Ashland to Medford may be cut back as the Rogue Valley Transportation District slashes about 10 percent of its budget over the next six months and prepares to dip into its reserves to make ends meet. Under changes proposed by the RVTD board, Route 10, which now stops every 20 minutes and often has standing room only, would stop every 30 minutes instead starting this spring, resulting in the layoff of six drivers. Another nine drivers would go from full time to part time. “It’s going to make it really inconvenient for people,” said Julie Brown, RVTD general manager. “They may not get a ride, and they may have to wait for the next bus.” In March, RVTD also would cut out the portion of Route 1 that connects to the Medford airport. The bus will go as far north as Highway 62. Evening hours on many routes and Saturday service would end in March, though three of the most popular routes — 10, 40 (Central Point) and 60 (White City) — would continue to have service past 7 p.m., based on an RVTD staff recommendation. Brown said many riders have said they will have to quit their part-time jobs on the weekends or during the evenings because they won’t be able to get to work with the new schedule. RVTD will hold a public hearing on the proposed changes at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the Jackson County Courthouse auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave. RVTD’s cuts will save about $650,000 annually and will prevent further cuts in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. But RVTD expects it might have to make more cuts to service by 2018-2019. The basic bus budget is about $7 million annually. Even with the cutbacks, RVTD will have to take about $400,000 from its reserves the first year to maintain the reduced level of services. The following year will require an additional $600,000 from reserves. Each year until 2018 will require another $600,000 until reserves are depleted. The reduction in service also will hurt RVTD’s bottom line because it expects ridership to drop 325,000 from the current 1.4 million annually. That would equal a loss of about $243,000 in fares. RVTD had hoped voters would pass a levy in November that would have raised the money to avoid the cuts, but the measure was rejected, 60.8 percent to 39.2 percent. “With the taxpayers making that decision, we heard them loud and clear,” Brown said. She said many voters expressed concern about the recent library levy in May and were confused about whether RVTD just needed the money to expand service rather than primarily maintain existing service. The new levy, which would have taxed property owners 13 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, would have brought an extra $1.69 million to district coffers each year. Without the tax increase, RVTD has little choice but to cut back on services, Brown said. RVTD Senior Planner Paige Townsend said the three routes that would continue offering service past 7 p.m. represent about half of RVTD's evening ridership. If the last Route 10 bus leaves Medford at 7 p.m., a student at Southern Oregon University could catch a ride back to Medford around 8 p.m., Townsend said. Route 10 has the most riders, and Townsend said RVTD will be looking at ways to accommodate the large passenger load despite the less frequent schedule. Over the next four years, RVTD hopes to find other ways of generating dollars, either through grants or possibly additional state revenue, Townsend said. “Unfortunately, our services will be less convenient and less user friendly,” she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 at 4:40 PM Updated Jan 2, 2015 at 5:50 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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