Higher Fares OKd to Expand Antelope Valley Bus Service

The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission on Wednesday approved a long-awaited overhaul of the Antelope Valley’s public bus system that calls for fare increases to help fund new routes and extended service hours.

The changes include revising the region’s three main bus routes, adding a fourth that directly links Lancaster and Palmdale and adding at least two extra hours of weekday service. The base fare will be raised from 50 cents to 75 cents. Students, senior citizens and monthly bus pass users will also be charged more.

County officials predicted the fare increases and the service expansion could begin later this year or by January, 1992. Similar bus system changes had been slated to begin by early this year but were postponed by county officials to conduct a transit study.

Under the plan adopted Wednesday, the cost of bus service in the Antelope Valley is projected to increase about 65%--from $2.3 million during the past 12 months to an estimated $3.8 million in the coming year.

Bus fares are only expected to cover about $470,000, or 12%, of the $3.8 million. The rest will be paid for by three jurisdictions. Los Angeles County will contribute $1.25 million, the city of Lancaster $1.3 million, and the city of Palmdale $787,000, according to estimates.

In addition to the base fare increase, the fare for students 21 and under will climb from 20 cents to 75 cents. The price for senior citizens and the disabled will go from 20 cents to 35 cents. Children under age 5 and transfers for all riders will remain free.

The cost of monthly passes will increase as well, from $18 to $20 for adults, from $4 to $20 for students and from $4 to $8 for senior citizens and the disabled. County officials said fares had not increased since 1982 and that even the new rates will remain below those charged by most other carriers. RTD bus riders, for instance, pay a $1.10 base fare.

Because the Antelope Valley is not served by the Southern California Rapid Transit District, the county for years has contracted with Antelope Valley Bus Inc., a private firm. Last year, Lancaster and Palmdale began contributing their own funding to help pay for the county-provided service.

Buses on the new route will run between Lancaster and Palmdale along 10th Street West and Palmdale Boulevard at half-hour intervals. The routes of the three current lines will be revised, but the buses will still run hourly. All four routes will run 14 hours a day on weekdays.

Among other changes, the county is considering adding a dial-a-ride service for two days a week to the rural east and west ends of the valley. The county also is considering expanding the current commuter bus service connecting the high desert with the Los Angeles basin.