Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation
Commission
Major Transportation Investment Study (MTIS)
Myths and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Myths
Don't get fooled by these commonly quoted transportation myths; get the facts!
Highway Myths
Myth: Carpool lanes don't carry as many people as regular lanes.
Fact: Contrary to popular belief, carpool lanes carry far more people than regular lanes because they require that more people be carried per car. It only appears that the carpool lane is "used" less since there are fewer vehicles. For example, on Highway 101 in the San Jose Area, the single carpool lane (also called High Occupancy Vehicle lane or HOV lane) carries more than twice as many people as the regular lanes. The critical measure of mobility is the number of people, rather than the number of cars, who can get where they want to go.
Myth: The Highway 17 commuters are causing most of the traffic on Highway 1.
Fact: Highway 17 commuters have a significant impact on Highway 1 traffic, but over half of the traffic on Highway 1 between Highway 17 and Capitola is from people traveling within Santa Cruz County. Average daily traffic on Highway 1 is over 100,000 vehicles per day. Between 40,000 and 50,000 trips on all freeways are by commuters to work over-the-hill. Future transportation plans therefore need to address both travel patterns.
Transit Myths
Myth: Most buses in Santa Cruz County run practically empty.
Fact: Many local buses are full. Popular routes to the University and between Santa Cruz and Watsonville are regularly filled to capacity and have to turn people away. In fact, Santa Cruz County has among the highest per person bus usage in the nation (28 rides per person per year), and bus ridership continues to grow. Buses have experienced big jumps in ridership in the last two years -- 13% growth in 1996 and 20% in 1998 -- with little increase in the amount of service provided. The projected total ridership for 1998 is nearly 8.5 million riders.
Myth: It's cheaper to operate small buses or vans instead of the full-sized buses.
Fact: It isn't much cheaper to operate small buses or vans. Operating and maintenance costs are fairly similar because the main underlying cost is the same--labor. The cost of the driver is the same and cost of maintenance personnel is similar. Capital costs for vans and full-sized buses are, however, quite different. The cost to purchase a full-sized bus is about $300,000, and the cost to purchase a van is about $50,000. However, full-sized buses may be more cost effective in the long run because are more versatile. They can be used on any route in the system while smaller buses are restricted to lower volume routes.
Myth: Bus and rail service require public subsidies but automobiles pay their own way.
Fact: Automobile travel also requires public subsidies; gas taxes don't cover the full cost of even road construction and maintenance. According to a report called The True Costs of Driving compiled by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, the fully-allocated cost of driving is about $1 per mile. 65.5¢ of this cost is born directly by the driver, in the form of gasoline, maintenance, parking, car purchase and finance costs, taxes, etc. Public subsidies cover the remaining costs of 32.2¢ per mile. The public subsidy per transit rider for the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District for FY1996/97 (the last year available) was $2.12 per passenger, across a total of 7.7 million passengers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I already pay a lot in gas taxes every year. Why should I support additional taxes for transportation improvements?
A: Fuel taxes cover only about 75% of the cost of road construction and maintenance. The unfunded amount plus the cost of bus transit services are paid for by other funding sources, including state and local sales taxes and general funds. There remains a backlog of unfunded projects. While the study shows a surplus of funds over the 17 year study period, these funds are not sufficient to pay for any of the build alternatives, except for the Intercity Weekend Rail Service. Adding a major new transportation project in our county would therefore require adding a new funding source. The most likely funding sources are a new countywide gas or sales tax. Sales taxes are more flexible because they can be used to fund transit operations, while gas taxes cannot. A 1/4 ¢ sales tax or a 5¢ per gallon gas tax would raise about the same amount, approximately $5.5 million per year.
Q: What is the Regional Transportation Commission and what is its role?
A: The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission consists of ten members from the County Board of Supervisors, the various city council members, the Transit District board, and a non-voting member of the State Department of Transportation (Caltrans). One of the Commission's primary roles is to distribute various types of state and federal funds to transportation projects throughout the county. In 1998 the Commission distributed nearly $30 million in different types of state transportation funds. The Commission also conducts long range planning activities, including the Major Transportation Investment Study, to help guide its transportation spending. In addition, the Commission administers several transportation services including the Commute Solutions rideshare office, the Freeway Service Patrol tow trucks on Highways 1 and 17, and the SAFE Callbox program. The Commission has two committees comprised of members of the public who advise the Commission, cities and the County on issues of interest:
Q: How do I get more information on the study or other Commission activities?
A: To get more information or provide your input, contact the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission at (831) 460-3200, or e-mail us at info@sccrtc.org.
If you have questions, comments or would like additional information on any of the Commission's activities, programs or projects, please contact staff.
If you have comments or suggestions about the website, please contact the
websmith.