City to Begin Trial Shuttle Transit Service

Tired of missing the bus?

A new alternative mode of transportation may be the solution for some West Valley residents.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation today is scheduled to kick off a trial shuttle program featuring flexible schedules and destinations.

“It’s an experiment that is looking at how to do public transit for the future,” said Aaron Hanson, executive director of the 12th Council District Traffic Management Assn., which has promoted the program.

The two-year program, dubbed the Smart Shuttle, is one of four throughout the city. It will be paid for through a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The service will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and employ 16 new, wheelchair-accessible vans to provide point-to-point service, Hanson said.

The vans will run between the Ronald Reagan and Ventura freeways and Valley Circle Boulevard and Hayvenhurst Avenue. At Hayvenhurst, however, the eastern boundary will return to Tampa Avenue.

There are 19 predetermined access points, including Cal State Northridge, various high schools, hospitals and the Northridge Fashion Center, Hanson said.

The program will provide four types of trips and three fares:

* From a regular access point to another, $1.

* From a regular access point to a personal destination, $1.50.

* From a personal pickup point to a regular access point, $1.50.

* From one personal pickup point to another, $2.

A two-hour advance reservation is required when requesting personal pickups.

For reservations and other information about the program, residents may call (888) 804-8333.