PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF ROUTE 17
Visalia Industrial Park
Presented By:
Angelina Baker, Transit Manager
John Lollis, Assistant City Manager
INTRODUCTION
Need for Proposed Route 17 Elimination
Exhaustion of grant funds
Exceedingly low ridership
The significant ongoing operational expense to maintain the route serving the Visalia Industrial Park after the exhaustion of initial federal grant funding combined with continued exceedingly low ridership prompts the proposal.
Significant operational costs
Alternative public transportation
BACKGROUND
DISCUSSION
Route 17 developed and launched to serve the growing Visalia Industrial Park TCAG provides $1,385,983 in federal CMAQ funds to initially support the new route October 2021
TCAG CMAQ Grant Funding
CMAQ funding exhausted after two (2) years, now funded by FTA and LTF funds CMAQ Funding Exhausted
Since its inception, Route 17 has been the City’s least utilized route Limited Ridership
Major Service Reduction
01 02
30-Day Public Comment Period
PROCESS
REQUIREMENTS
FEDERAL
Federal Transit Administration
FTA guidelines and regulations must be followed when considering transit route elimination or modifications that constitute a major service reduction.
Defined as a 25% or more reduction of transit route miles FTA requires notice in newspaper of general circulation in urbanized area Additional Public Notices
Public notice on buses, City website, and social media channels.
Public Comment Received
City will receive comments in person, via telephone, online and email. 03 04
ROUTE EXPENDITURES
Hours
Miles
Total
FY 21
$86,717.74
$33,710.10
$120,427.84
FY 22
$364,000.21
$139,492.62
$503,492.83
FY 23
$334,555.08
$130,359.36
$464,914.44
FY 24
$460,042.94
$151,786.95
$611,829.89
FY 25
$634,614.09
$148,914.82
$783,528.91
FY 26*
$648,855.89
$153,912.57
$802,738.46
*estimated
TOTAL
$3,286,932.37
ROUTE RIDERSHIP
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Total
2021
138
162
202
502
2022
224
223
272
268
254
305
215
196
226
274
322
278
3057
2023
316
518
374
421
X
X
X
25 430
323
316
257
2980
2024
275
190
152
531
314
338
231
340
213
206
170
238
3198
2025
227
226
254
303
282
267
251
302
241
224
188
241
3006
2026
241
241
142
184
808
CHALLENGES
ROUTE 17
Alternative Transportation Options
Personal
Vehicles
Carpools
Ridership data, direct field observations and rider feedback suggest that the workforce have alternative transportation options more convenient to scheduling and travel time Ridesharing
Services
Reimagine Transit Study
01 02
Visalia Connect Microtransit
INDUSTRIAL PARK
OPPORTUNITIES
FUTURE
Development of new 5-Year Short-Range Transit Plan
Current pilot project that provides “door-to-door” public transit service Cross Valley Corridor
Express transit service being developed between Visalia and Hanford, including Visalia Industrial Park Doe Complex Employment Center
Development of Employment Resource Center at former TCOE Doe Complex 03 04
PROPOSED TIMELINE
Public comment period opened
Public comment period closed
July 20, 2026
August 21, 2026
City Council Public Hearing
September 7, 2026
Route 17 elimination
October 1, 2026
RECOMMENDATION
Route 17 Elimination
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize staff to open a 30-day public comment period to receive feedback on the proposed elimination of Transit Fixed Route 17 that services the Visalia Industrial Park and schedule a Public Hearing for the City Council meeting of September 7, 2026.
Questions?