Bus riders meet today to oppose route changes

Jennifer Kho

A citizens’ group opposed to a countywide bus system changes is having

a public forum today in hopes of developing alternative options.

The Orange County Citizens’ Bus Restructuring Task Force will meet at

6 p.m. at the Fullerton Community Bank building, 825 N. Broadway, Santa

Ana.

Members of the bus riders’ group said they hope informing people about

the rerouting plan will result in suggestions for improving it.

Jane Reifer, a spokeswoman for the group, said because Costa Mesa has

the county’s second-highest bus ridership, residents will be drastically

affected by the route changes.

The plan, developed by the Orange County Transportation Authority to

straighten wandering bus routes in an effort to save commuters time, will

go into effect Sept. 10.

Reifer said many evening trips will be eliminated and bus riders will

have to make more transfers when the new system begins.

“Transferring means you have to wait for another bus, and that means

you have a longer commute,” Reifer said. “You could wait for up to an

hour for another bus. I don’t think that will save us time.”

One route will no longer pass through the West Side once the new

system begins, said Dave Simpson, a spokesman for the OCTA. However, a

new route will run through the West Side, and Newport Beach- or Santa

Ana-bound Costa Mesa residents will have to transfer from that bus.

“We feel the straight route will get people to their destinations

quicker, despite the transfer,” Simpson said.

Bus riders and advocates for the disabled, senior and Latino

communities said they plan to attend the forum to oppose the change in

bus routes.

Costa Mesa resident Maria van Gent said she spent all day Wednesday

baking cookies and snacks for the forum.

“The [plan] would eliminate bus trips that too many people count on,”

she said. “[Route] 53 goes right from the corner of Orange and 20th to

South Coast Plaza and that would change. Many old people and students

count on that route. Many people would really miss it.”

Simpson said he did not know if a county representative would attend

the forum. However, the transportation authority will monitor the new

system once it begins and consider issues as they arise, he said.