Yuba-Sutter Transit, which was known as the Hub Area Transit Authority (HATA) until January 1993, was formed in 1975 by Sutter and Yuba Counties and the Cities of Marysville and Yuba City as a joint powers agency (JPA) for the provision of public transit services. Since its inception, Yuba-Sutter Transit has carried out this charge by contracting with private transportation companies for the operation of all services.

From 1975 to 1979, service was provided exclusively to seniors and persons with disabilities through a contract with the local taxi-company for the operation of the "Our Car" taxi subsidy program. As a condition of a legal settlement with California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), this service was replaced and expanded in 1979 with the purchase of thirteen mini-buses to implement a general public dial-a-ride (demand response) service. The system expanded again in 1982 to add a network of local fixed routes. Since 1979, a national transportation provider (currently Veolia Transportation Services, Inc.) has operated the agency's primary services.

In January 1988, following an independent operational analysis prompted by poor system performance, the service was significantly reduced through the elimination of the local fixed route system, Sunday service and most rural area services in lieu of a general public zonal dial-a-ride system for the urban area. At the same time, Sutter County withdrew from the Authority to establish their own taxi subsidy program which provided transit service to the unincorporated urban areas of the county until January 1991 when Sutter County rejoined the JPA.

In response to the 1988 operational and organizational changes, CRLA again filed a lawsuit against the Authority, the four jurisdictions and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. The resulting settlement agreement in 1990 led to the completion of both a fixed route feasibility study and a comprehensive marketing plan in 1992. Based on the recommendations of these studies, fixed route service was reinstated and the agency name was changed to the Yuba-Sutter Transit Authority effective January 1, 1993.

Yuba-Sutter Transit now operates a wide range of services with its current fleet of 44 buses that range in capacity from 14 to 45 passengers. In FY 2010, approximately 58 percent of the operation will be provided as urban fixed route service. The local fixed route system now provides service every 30 to 60 minutes on six routes with fourteen buses in peak service Monday through Friday (twelve on Saturdays) in Yuba City, Marysville, Linda and Olivehurst. Local fixed route service is provided each weekday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Fixed route ridership has grown rapidly over the years beginning with a 47 percent increase in FY 1996 followed by annual increases of 28, 17 and 18 percent through FY 1999. After slowing to 4 percent growth in FY 2000 due in part to capacity constraints, ridership increased by 10 percent in FY 2001 and 13 percent in FY 2002 after a significant service increase in April 2001. Ridership continued to grow at a robust average annual rate of more than 5 percent despite only minor service changes through FY 2006. After the October 2006 addition of Route 6 and half hour Saturday service on Routes 1 and 3, ridership jumped by 13 percent in 2007 and by another 15 percent in FY 2008. With the introduction of half hour weekday service on Route 2 in January 2009, ridership increased another 11 percent in FY 2009 to nearly 825,000 annual passenger trips. The growth trend continues as fixed route ridership is up another 6 percent through the first six months of FY 2010.

This strong long term growth trend in local fixed route ridership is a reflection of the many service improvements that have been made to this system over the years. These include the introduction of larger and more easily identified fixed route buses along with a Marysville route in 1995; the expansion of the Marysville route and the start of Saturday fixed route service in 1998; the addition of half-hour service frequencies on two routes along with the initiation of a route in southwest Yuba City in 2001; the October 2006 addition of Route 6 in Linda and the extension of weekday service frequencies on Saturdays; the continued expansion of the bus stop shelter and bus stop bench programs; the provision of bike racks on all buses; and, successful discount summer and monthly youth pass programs. The January 2009 addition of half-hour weekday service on a third route (Route 2) and the introduction of modern low floor buses are a continuation of the steady long-term enhancement of this service.

The local Dial-A-Ride service accounts for approximately 24 percent of the operation. This service is provided within the urban area during the same weekday and Saturday fixed route service hours. Dial-A-Ride service is available by reservation to seniors age 62 and over, persons with disabilities and those with an origin or destination more than one-half mile from a fixed route. Dial-A-Ride is Yuba-Sutter Transit's complimentary paratransit service as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Since August 1999, Dial-A-Ride is also open to the general public each weekday evening from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The weekday evening service is provided with on-going financial support from a federal Job Access grant. Dial-A-Ride ridership is projected to provide 59,000 passenger trips in FY 2010.

Sixteen percent of the system is provided as service between Marysville/Yuba City and downtown Sacramento primarily as weekday commuter service. This service, which began in July 1990 with two 15-passenger buses, now provides nine morning and nine afternoon schedules operated during the peak commuter hours with another three schedules operated during the midday. This service is provided with a fleet of eleven specially equipped 41 and 45 passenger buses. The midday schedules are used by many daily or occasional commuters, but they are also popular with those traveling to Sacramento for medical, school and other non-work purposes. These combined Sacramento services are projected to provide 150,000 passenger trips in FY 2010.

Limited route deviation services to the Yuba County foothills and the Cities of Live Oak and Wheatland account for the remaining two percent of the operation. The Foothill Route provides two round trips every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between selected foothill communities from Brownsville to Marysville. The Live Oak Route now provides two round trips every Monday, Wednesday and Friday into Yuba City and Marysville. The Wheatland Route offers two round trips each Tuesday and Thursday. The Live Oak and Wheatland Routes operate under a fully allocated cost reimbursement contract with those cities.

From September 1999 through January 2004, Yuba-Sutter Transit operated a commuter service in the Highway 65 corridor of southern Placer County serving what once was a major regional employment center of high technology employers in the Lincoln Airport Industrial Park. Like the weekday evening Dial-A-Ride program, this service was funded in part through a federal Job Access Grant. The Lincoln service, which enjoyed considerable early success, was terminated due to prolonged poor performance brought on by dramatic employee reductions at the industrial park over a period of about two years.

In FY 2010, Yuba Sutter Transit will operate a projected 87,000 vehicle service hours systemwide - a 26 percent increase over the 68,832 hours operated in FY 2005. During this same five year period, systemwide ridership has increased by nearly 60 percent. For a long-term perspective, systemwide ridership has increased by 480 percent since FY 1993 following the reintroduction of fixed route service in January 1993 while systemwide service hours have increased by less than 170 percent over the same period during which systemwide ridership has increased in all but one year.

Fare revenues have also increased dramatically in the last five years from $662,576 in FY 2005 to a budgeted figure of $1,212,000 in FY 2010 - an increase of 83 percent. During this period, passenger fares were increased only on the weekday evening Dial-A-Ride service (July 2005) and the Sacramento service (July 2007). Since September 2005, the regular $15 monthly youth pass has been discounted to just $5 using a series of grants from the Feather River Air Quality Management District (FRAQMD) to off-set the lost fare revenue.

Yuba-Sutter Transit is governed by a Board of Directors composed of two elected representatives from each of the four member entities. Since January 1994, the Authority has operated with a three person staff of Transit Manager (23 years), Administrative Analyst (16 years) and Administrative Secretary (15 years). Since March 1988, the Yuba-Sutter Transit staff has also served as administrative staff for the Regional Waste Management Authority concurrent with their transit duties. Approximately one-quarter of the available staff time is budgeted for the waste management responsibilities. Through this shared staffing relationship, both agencies are able to experience a reduction in administrative overhead expenses. Due to retirements, Yuba-Sutter Transit is budgeted to replace both administrative staff positions and expand the staff by one position by the end of 2010.

Yuba-Sutter Transit's operating expenses for FY 2010 are budgeted at $5,434,100. The funding mix for operations is budgeted at 38 percent federal (Federal Transit Administration); 38 percent local (Transportation Development Act); 22 percent passenger fares; and, 2 percent miscellaneous income from leases, special grants, interest, advertising, and contract service payments. The capital budget for FY 2010 includes over $5 million in projects including several that will continue into FY 2011. Major capital expenditures for such items as facilities and buses are typically funded on a matching basis using 80 percent federal and 20 percent local funding.

Facilities: Yuba-Sutter Transit relocated in May 1996 to its own facility at 2100 B Street in Marysville which formerly was a Seven-Up Bottling Company plant. With additional remodeling and facility improvements, the Marysville site is expected to meet the needs of Yuba-Sutter Transit for the next 20 years. A currently unused portion of the site that was until this month occupied by Seven-Up will be converted to transit use as part of a project to expand the capacity of the site to its ultimate build-out for the operation of up to 70 buses. The preliminary planning and design work for this project is now underway.

The only Caltrans park and ride lot in Yuba and Sutter Counties opened on the northeast corner of Bogue Road and Highway 99 in August 1997 largely with federal funds obtained by Yuba-Sutter Transit. Caltrans owns and maintains this 88-space lot south of Yuba City. This facility is now packed to overflowing every weekday, and will be expanded by Caltrans in 2011 using federal and local funding secured by Yuba-Sutter Transit. The project will double the on-site parking capacity while providing land for future expansion up to 300 spaces.

Yuba County opened the McGowan Park & Ride Lot on Powerline Road at McGowan Parkway in December 2008 and the Plumas Lake Park & Ride Lot on Feather River Boulevard east of Highway 70 in October 2009. These long anticipated projects were sited and designed in coordination with Yuba-Sutter Transit. Project funding was derived primarily from development impact fees collected by Yuba County from projects in both the North Arboga Study Area and Plumas Lake. Yuba County owns and maintains both facilities with Community Service District revenue.

Yuba-Sutter Transit currently serves 280 bus stops and 82 bus stop benches throughout both counties. Forty bus stop shelters have been placed at key points and high boarding locations throughout the system. Twelve are agency-owned or controlled and 28 are provided by a private company (Stott Outdoor Advertising) in exchange for the right to sell and place advertising on those shelters. Another six advertising shelters are expected to be installed in 2010. Of the 88 benches, Stott provides and maintains 70 commercial advertising benches. Stott owns and maintains the advertising shelters and benches at no cost to Yuba-Sutter Transit in exchange for the exclusive right to sell and place advertising on them along with a small commission on the sale of each ad. Enclosed bike lockers are also available for rent at some commuter bus stops.

Vehicles: In 1995 and 1996, eight 28 passenger fixed route buses were delivered to replace six 16 passenger 1985 buses that had previously been used in this service. The move to larger and more traditional appearing buses greatly improved the quality and visibility of the fixed route service which contributed to a tremendous increase in ridership over the next few years. Six 35 passenger fixed route buses were delivered in February 2001 allowing for a major expansion of this service and bringing the fixed route fleet to fourteen vehicles. In 2009, the old 28 passenger buses were replaced with twelve modern low floor buses which allowed for the January 2009 service improvements and expanded the fixed route fleet to 18 buses.

In 1999, ten 19 passenger Dial-A-Ride vehicles were delivered to replace nine 1989 buses. Five of these 1989 models were retained to support the federal Job Access Grant funded Highway 65 and weekday evening Dial-A-Ride services. The five older buses were finally replaced in 2004 with five 14 passenger buses using the Job Access program as a key funding source to bring the Dial-A-Ride fleet to fifteen vehicles. In addition to Dial-A-Ride service, these versatile little buses are also used on rural routes; to augment the local fixed route fleet; and, to provide supplemental capacity for the Sacramento Commuter service as necessary. The ten 1999 model Dial-A-Ride buses are now being replaced with 16 passenger buses.

Yuba-Sutter Transit took delivery of four 45 passenger commuter buses in 1994 to replace and expand a mix and match fleet of buses that had been operating that service since its inception in 1990. A fifth commuter bus was purchased in 1997 with three more added in 2002. Three of the four 1994 model buses were replaced in 2006 with six new 41 passenger buses to bring this fleet of specially equipped buses to eleven. A seventh new bus replaced the last of the four 1994 model buses early in 2008. Three 57 passenger, tour-style commuter buses are now on order for delivery in April or May 2010.

Services: The last sixteen years have been full of activity following the adoption of the 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2008 Yuba-Sutter Short Range Transit Plans. The 1994 plan resulted in expanded Sacramento Commuter and Midday services; Marysville's Route 4; the former subsidized vanpool and weekday evening taxi subsidy programs; new fixed route buses; bus stop shelters; bike racks on buses; and, an annual summer youth bus pass program.

The 1998 update resulted in the expansion of the Marysville route, the operation of fixed route service on Saturdays and further expansion of the fixed route system including the operation of half-hour service frequencies on two highly used routes in April 2001. In addition to these other improvements, Yuba-Sutter Transit also implemented one year experimental Beale AFB and Sutter services in 1998 along with a one-year Downtown Trolley demonstration service using two historic trolley replica buses that were purchased and operated primarily with funding from the Feather River Air Quality Management District.

The 2003 plan resulted in the implementation of a monthly youth pass; more deeply discounted monthly fixed route passes; additional Saturday service; expanded Sacramento services including the addition of a noon hour Sacramento Midday schedule; and, fixed route service to the new Yuba City Marketplace and River Valley High School.

The current five year transit plan that was adopted in 2008 is more modest in terms of service recommendations compared to recent versions assuming limited service growth only in response to any increase in ridership demand. It does include the recent implementation of half-hour weekday service on Route 2 (which had been envisioned in the 2003 plan); introduction of the new low-floor local fixed route buses; and, the opening of the McGowan and Plumas Lake Park & Ride Lots, but it is primarily focused on the provision of the necessary infrastructure (equipment, facilities and staff capacity) to support the operation that has expanded so much over the years.

The future of public transit in Yuba and Sutter Counties appears to be much brighter than in many other areas of the state and country given the recent, current and expected near-term economic and legislative conditions. While many operators have already cut service and raised fares (some more than once) over the last two years, Yuba-Sutter Transit has been able to avoid such scenarios to date due to strong ridership growth and a conservative fiscal and operational approach. For example, Yuba-Sutter Transit operates little or no service in the evenings, on weekends or on holidays when many others have reduced or eliminated such service and Yuba-Sutter Transit's operating cost per hour of service is already among the lowest of any in California.

The November 2006 passage of California Proposition 1B and the 2009 federal stimulus program established a strong foundation for future capital funding. Unfortunately, the federal funding authorization for critical operating and capital funding expired in September and has since been provided through a series of continuing resolutions at the past funding level. In addition, local and state funding has taken a severe hit in the last two years due to the economic downturn and a series of state budget decisions. As a result, agency attention over the next few years is expected to be focused on catching up with the rapid growth of the past especially in terms of facility and staff capacity; fine-tuning and maintaining the existing system; and, preparing for future growth in response to demonstrated service demand from the expected population growth and demographic changes in the region.

Funding for the future expansion of transit services will continue to be a critical issue with large scale developments now under construction, recently approved or being considered in Yuba County, Yuba City and Sutter County. The vast majority of these projects are in areas that are not now served by Yuba-Sutter Transit. The resulting demand for services of every kind will severely stretch what is still just a lifeline service in most cases especially at a time when local, state and federal funding becomes more uncertain by the day. In addition, future growth in operating revenue sources may not keep pace with expected increases in both service demand and operating costs. To compound the problem, impact fees are not being collected from these new developments for the necessary vehicles or operating costs to expand service though Yuba County did collect fees for the development and operation of two park and ride lots.

The Plumas Lake development in southern Yuba County is the most problematic of those that are now under construction in the region because of its size (12,000 units), location (entirely outside the existing service area), design (low density, single-family residential) and primary target market (out-of-area commuters). Another major growth area is Edgewater in East Linda though this and a number of neighboring developments are at least within the existing service area. While lacking the concentration of these large Yuba County developments, thousands of new homes along with many hundreds of thousands of square feet of new commercial projects have recently been constructed, approved or are under consideration in Yuba City as well. Planning is also well underway in both counties for a number of major plans and projects including the Yuba County General Plan Update; the Lincoln East Specific Plan in Yuba City; and, Sutter Pointe in south Sutter County.

Despite the recent downturn in population growth, Yuba and Sutter Counties have both been among the fastest growing counties in California and in recent years and all indicators suggest that this may be the case for years to come. This population boom may soon become a significant problem as little funding has been identified in Yuba-Sutter Transit's multi-year capital and operating plans for transit service expansion. Many of these new residents, attracted by the lower cost of living and proximity to other employment centers in the Mid-Valley, will commute to work in Placer, Sacramento and Yolo Counties and beyond to further complicate the issue.

Even without population growth, the demand for specialized services for seniors and persons with disabilities will continue to grow in the future. The dedicated specialized service now provided through the Alta California Regional Center for the developmentally disabled is very limited and subject to annual funding cuts and Yuba-Sutter Transit's own Dial-A-Ride service already operates at or near capacity levels during certain peak periods. The need for increased specialized services will become more acute as the population grows (especially outside the current service area) and ages in the future.

For many years, Yuba-Sutter Transit has been an active partner with both counties in the welfare-to-work effort taking the lead on related public transportation issues and successfully competing for numerous federal Job Access grants. County matching fund contributions for these grants ended in 2004 to shift the local financial burden for any grant funded services exclusively to Yuba-Sutter Transit. While Yuba-Sutter Transit will continue to play a key role in assisting those seeking pre-employment training and entry level employment, the scope and sustainability of these grant funded services are certainly in question. The 2005 reauthorization of the Job Access program resulted in much lower federal funding levels for existing grant-funded services and a much less secure outlook for the future.

Having been instrumental in securing a state grant to study the unique transportation needs of agricultural workers, Yuba-Sutter Transit was an active participant in the regional Agricultural Worker Transportation Study under the direction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Funding has already been secured for a related service implementation project which is likely to include a regional vanpool program for agricultural workers throughout the mid-valley.

In summary, Yuba-Sutter Transit has undergone an amazing metamorphosis since January 1993 to where the agency is now a vital component of the local service network. It must still be prepared, however, for further adjustments as the region continues to grow and change in the future because Yuba-Sutter Transit now has an important role to play in the continued renaissance of Yuba and Sutter Counties. While Yuba-Sutter Transit operates what is certainly among the widest range of services at among the lowest local cost of any urban area in California; the mix, level and priority for these services must continually be evaluated in light of local funding and policy priorities as well as passenger demand.

• Yuba-Sutter Transit System Fact Sheet (January 2010) & Summary of Key Events (January 2010)
• Yuba-Sutter Transit Ride Guide and Service Brochures
• FY 2010 Operating and Capital Budget
• FY 2010 - FY 2014 Transportation Improvement Plan Program of Projects
• FY 2035 Capital Improvement Plan (Revised 12-20-07)
• Website: www.yubasuttertransit.com