New AVTA Commuter Bus Routes Will Service Local Aerospace Companies
On September 25, 2018, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority Board of Directors approved the agency's New Employment Center Commuter Services, creating three new bus routes that will provide service to some of the North County's largest employers in the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita. The new commuter services, to be implemented within the next 90 calendar days, will create the Route 747 service to the Edwards Air Force Base Installation, Route 748 servicing the Mojave Air and Space Port and The Spaceship Company, and Route 788 servicing aerospace manufacturers and industries in the Santa Clarita area. The goal is to encourage aerospace-based workers to make the positive change to using public transit as a means of getting to work.
"The Antelope Valley has a rich history in aerospace development, and we are proud to partner with these organizations to help support their roles in the advancement of state-of-the-art aviation," said AVTA Board Chair Marvin Crist. "These employers have thousands of employees, many of whom reside here in the Antelope Valley, and these new services will provide an environmentally friendly mobility option to them that is also cost-effective."
The employers that will be served by the new routes are all eager to have the new services implemented as soon as possible, and each face unique challenges that they are hoping the bus service will help alleviate. For example, the companies in the Santa Clarita Industrial Center endure a constant turnover of employees who commute in from the Antelope Valley, due to both the high cost of gasoline and the amount of time it takes to drive. With AVTA's recent addition of free Wi-Fi service on all of its new electric buses and all existing commuter buses, workers can use their time more productively while enjoying the ride, just one of the many ways AVTA continues to add value and efficiency to the rider experience.
At Edwards Air Force Base, the 412th Test Wing oversees the installation's day-to-day operations, providing support to more than 10,000 personnel on a base of 482 square miles. The security protocols in place require that every person and every vehicle entering the base be carefully screened, and can result in extensive lines at the entrance gate. The buses will help solve that issue by eliminating dozens of cars from that busy queue daily, saving base employees significant time in the process.
"Since the beginning of the current fiscal year, AVTA has rededicated its focus and outreach on providing improved mobility services and an efficient route system that serves our community and employers’ transportation needs", said Macy Neshati, AVTA Executive Director and CEO. "We've conducted successful coordination meetings with representatives from each of these employment centers, and each has expressed a desire and a willingness to partner with AVTA to provide safe, clean, and cost effective commuter and transit services to their employees.
The three month period prior to full implementation will allow staff to finalize routes and fare structures, develop service schedules and brochures, and conduct community and employer outreach and travel training. AVTA is also working to develop a similar program with the Air Force Plant 42 Production and Test Facility in Palmdale.
