Commentary: In a recent column published in the Las Cruces Sun News, questions were raised about South Central Regional Transit District (SCRTD) ridership numbers. Unfortunately, those numbers were understated. The District transported over 18,800 riders last year. In the new Federal Fiscal Year, ridership numbers are already over 13,700 and with six months to go on the Federal Fiscal calendar (usually the months with the highest ridership), SCRTD should easily hit over 27,000 and will likely get to around 28,000.
SCRTD is a successful, efficient new rural transit service that is making a significant impact on the local economy. It has received high marks from the NM Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and clean financial audits (2016 and 2017). The District has improved operations: costs per passenger trip have decreased by 25%; cost per vehicle mile has decreased nearly 30%. Because SCRTD has already met 80% of the objectives in its Five Year Plan (2015), the plan has been updated. (See www.scrtd.org.) Ridership numbers are similar to those of the North Central Regional Transit System (NCRTD) in its second year.
Now, a little over ten years later, NCRTD has an annual ridership of 500,000.
During the past two years, the District secured $974,216 in federal grants. Those funds have been used to improve the frequency of service, update and distribute bus schedules, and acquire smaller buses. Since 1998, Doña Ana County has forfeited over $6M in rural transit funding that could have come to Doña Ana County had the region chosen to apply for the funding.
SCRTD has used medium-sized buses to build the central backbone for the system south of Las Cruces. Next, that backbone will be extended to northern Doña Ana County and Sierra County (fall, 2018). SCRTD will also work with Sunland Park and Anthony to become certified grant recipients so that they can procure funds for on-demand, circulator routes (small vans) in those communities to bring riders to the central system.
SCRTD has an impact on the local economy. It has an annual payroll of $451,360 and contracts with 14 local businesses for maintenance, professional services etc. for over $400,000 a year.
Revenue comes from fares, member dues, local contributions, and Federal Transit Administration funds. Doña Ana County contributes $350,000/year for SCRTD to secure federal funds and operate rural service. Funding comes from the hold harmless increase to the county’s Gross Receipts Tax and is 3.5% of that revenue. It is approximately 0.025% (one-quarter of one percent) of the county’s total annual budget. As other members of the SCRTD develop service within their jurisdictions, those members will also make additional contributions to the SCRTD.
A successful transit district is a sound investment in our economic and social future. SCRTD is requesting an increase in funding from Doña Ana County of $150,000 to enable SCRTD to acquire more federal funds for service in the rural portions of the county (northern Doña Ana County), upgrade stop locations, begin on-demand service in several new areas, and work with local businesses and workforce agencies to develop vanpools for transit to workforce programs and jobs.