Metrolink Service Reduction Action Alert

Metrolink is preparing for another round of service cuts and/or fare hikes. While the last round of cuts focused on trimming weekend service, current proposed cuts appear to decimate the Antelope Valley Line and the Ventura County Line, which may lose eleven and eight weekday trains, respectively:

POTENTIAL SERVICE CHANGES/MAJOR SERVICE REDUCTIONS

ANTELOPE VALLEY LINE

Weekdays
•Cancel trains 205, 207, 209, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 221, 222 and 223

Saturdays
•Cancel trains 266, 267, 270, and 271

Sundays
•Cancel trains 260 and 265

SAN BERNARDINO LINE

Saturdays
•Cancel trains 372, 373, 378 and 379

Sundays
•Cancel trains 356 and 361

Weekdays
•Cancel Trains 306 and 323

INLAND EMPIRE-ORANGE COUNTY LINE

Weekdays
•Cancel trains 802, 813, 850 and 851
•Cancel service south of Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo station for train 808. Train 806 would be rescheduled to serve train 808 customers between Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and the Oceanside Station Multi Modal Transit Center

VENTURA COUNTY LINE

Weekdays

•Cancel trains 103, 105, 107, 108, 112, 114, 900 and 901
•Cancel service west of Moorpark station for trains 102, 104, 106, 113, 115 and 119


POTENTIAL FARE INCREASE AND CHANGES IN FARE POLICY/DISCOUNTS

A. A proposed average increase in Metrolink fares of between 3% and 6% (due to ongoing fare restructuring, fares for a small number of station pairs will have increases as high as 10%) . In addition, if the current 80-mile cap on trips is eliminated, some trips longer than 80 miles in length will have increases of up to 13.1%

B. Possible future restructuring of fare media attributes and discounts related to:

1. Modify 10-trip ticket pricing and validity period

2. Modify Round trip ticket discounts

3. Modify Senior/Disabled discounts on 10-trip tickets and monthly passes

4. Modify student discounts on 10-trip and monthly pass and restructuring

5. Modify Active-duty military one-way and roundtrip tickets

6. Modify Weekend fare discounts

7. Modify Intra-county fare discounts

8. Modify or cancel Rail 2 Rail Agreement with Amtrak

9. Modify Off-peak fares

10. Eliminate the 80-mile cap on long distance fares for 1-way, round trip and 10-trip tickets

Riders may also see a fare increase between 3% and 13.1%, depending on station pairs. Aside from the usual 3% to 6% increase, discounts would be eliminated or tempered for 10-trip and monthly passes, as well as senior/disabled, student, round-trip and weekend tickets. The proposed plan would also see the 80-mile cap on tickets lifted, meaning that the highest fare, Lancaster to Oceanside, would rise from $14 to $23.50.

Act Now!

Please comment on the proposed fare hikes and service cuts online at the Metrolink web site or in person at the public hearing on Friday, April 2. Please look at the simple instructions on the Meeting Reduction Notice and send an e-mail to Metrolink. If these cuts get through, it will be years before Metrolink will be used by riders whose trip corridors were destroyed so they can't complete a trip journey.

You can also download, print, cut and distribute these postcards for Ventura County Line and Antelope Valley Line users, addressed to Metrolink Boardmembers and asking them to preserve service. You can even complete this online petition.

Metrolink MAX: Simplified Service Plan Campaign

The Transit Coalition will once again be suggesting the implementation of our Simplified Service Plan. The plan would preserve the usefulness of the Metrolink system by establishing the practice of running trains through Union Station. For example, someone who lives along the San Bernardino Line would be able arrive at their job in the Burbank Media District without changing trains. The plan would effectively combine the Ventura County and Orange County Lines, and the Antelope Valley and San Bernardino Lines. Some trains already run through Union Station, but riders never know about it since they are not marked in the schedule as such. The challenges, of course, are convincing the Metrolink Board to move away from a hub and spoke system that primarily benefits peak-hour Downtown LA commuters, focus on making the service attractive to a variety of riders as well as rush-hour commuters, and seeking minor reform on small policies and formulas which would otherwise obstruct this proposal.

Note to IEOC Line and 91 Line Commuters and Travelers: The Simplified Service Plan in no way would encourage Metrolink to cancel the entire IEOC Line or truncate all 91 Line trains at Fullerton as the current peak commuter and summer beach train trips remain very productive. Maintaining the direct service between the Inland Empire and the Los Angeles/Orange County areas is vital.

The Simplified Service Plan would reroute all of the less productive midday and winter weekend train trips to the Fullerton Station Multi Modal Transportation Center with timed connections to trains on the LOSSAN Corridor.

Past Action Alerts --- Campaigns