Council Votes to Halt SCAT’s Bus Route 12

After years of subsidizing a bus that often shuttles empty from Buenaventura Mall to Ventura Harbor, the City Council has agreed to shut down South Coast Area Transit bus Route 12.

The council’s decision Monday will be forwarded to SCAT for inclusion in its 1998 budget. If approved after a public hearing, the route would be terminated in July.

The route was started in 1992 for a three-year trial period. Ridership was low from the beginning.

Everett Millais, director of community services, said the route costs the city $105,000 annually to run.

But cutting it will not necessarily save all of that.

The city will use part of the money it saves into expanding service on the existing senior shopper minibus from three to five days a week, which will cost $15,000.

In addition, the city will face about a $46,000 increase in costs paid to SCAT to keep all the bus lines running.

Also, Millais said, the city is obliged to provide some sort of service to people living in the area served by Route 12, but will look at cheaper ways to do that--such as running a subsidized cab service.

Resident David Luff supported the council’s decision.

“To spend $105,000 to run an empty bus back and forth is preposterous,” he said. “It is time for the council to put this matter to its end.”