What is RTA?

The San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (RTA) provides intercommunity public transportation. RTA's service area includes all of San Luis Obispo County and extends into Santa Barbara County to the south. RTA provides regional fixed-route service (RTA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complementary paratransit service (Runabout), which includes Dialysis Transportation.

FIXED-ROUTE SERVICE

RTA’s fixed-route service consists of four bus routes, which run along Highways 1 and 101 to North County, the North Coast, and South County including the city of Santa Maria in Northern Santa Barbara County:

• Route 9: North County hourly, local and expresss service, plus limited Saturday and Sunday local service. Runs via Highway 101, between San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, Santa Margarita, Atascadero, Templeton, Paso Robles and San Miguel. Operates seven days a week with less frequency on Saturdays and Sundays. Click here for schedule.
• Route 10: South County weekday local and express service. Runs via Highway 101, between San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, Shell Beach, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Nipomo and Santa Maria. Operates seven days a week with less frequency on Saturdays and Sundays. Click here for schedule.
• Route 12A: North Coast weekday local and commute-time express service between Los Osos/Baywood Park/Morro Bay and Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo. Route 12A is replaced by Route 12B on weekends. Click here for schedule.
• Route 12B: North Coast provides limited weekday service to Cayucos, San Simeon Acres and Hearst Castle. On Saturdays and Sundays, Route 12 B provides service along the North Coast between SLO and Hearst Castle including service to Los Osos, San Luis Obispo, Cuesta College and Morro Bay. Click here for schedule.

PARATRANSIT SERVICE

RTA also provides regional paratransit services through the Runabout demand-response system. While Runabout provides service for seniors and persons with disabilities, general public riders are accepted on a space-available basis, although this occurs infrequently.

Runabout service is prioritized based on service type:

• Priority 1 – Service to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-eligible clients within ¾ mile of a fixed route;
• Priority 2 – Service to the General Public within ¾ mile of a fixed route;
• Priority 3 – Service to ADA-eligible clients beyond ¾ mile of a fixed route;
• Priority 4 – Service to the General Public beyond ¾ mile of a fixed route.

History

San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA, now RTA) was formed in 1989, to provide central managment for regional fixed-route service as well as Runabout paratransit service.

FIXED-ROUTE SERVICE

SLORTA created a new, consolidated fixed-route system, under the name CCAT (Central Coast Area Transit). CCAT provided six fixed routes serving all major population centers in the County. It replaced services previously offered through mutual agreements between the County and various Cities. These prior services included:

• CCRTA (Central Coast Regional Transit Authority): South Bay/Morro Bay – San Luis Obispo and Atascadero – San Luis Obispo.
• SLOSCAT (San Luis Obispo/South County Area Transit): Five Cities – San Luis Obispo.
• SLOCAT (San Luis Obispo County Area Transit): San Simeon Acres – Morro Bay.

CCAT became RTA in May 2003, and all vehicles were rebranded with a new logo and color scheme.

During the past 20 years, the routes have been modified several times, but still serve the same areas as did the original routes. Today, most routes have hourly service on weekdays, and weekend service is available along all routes.

PARATRANSIT SERVICE

Runabout paratransit service began in 1977; in 1989, Runabout came under management of the newly formed SLORTA.

In early 2001, Runabout changed emphasis from a General Public Paratransit provider to primarily an Americans with Disabilities Act Paratransit provider. This led to some changes in service. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires complementary paratransit service within three-quarters of a mile on either side of a bus route during hours of regular transit service. Accordingly, Runabout decreased its service boundaries from countywide to the more limited ADA boundary designations. Countywide service beyond ADA boundaries was still offered, but, under newly established priority levels, received lower-priority scheduling than service within ADA boundaries.

FACILITIES

In early 2006, RTA reached an agreement with Ride-On Transportation/United Cerebral Palsy to explore securing and operating a coordinated maintenance facility, with RTA to serve as the lead agency. Initial organizational roles and responsibilities were identified and approved.

Ride-On, the Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) in the San Luis Obispo area, is a private paratransit service operated by United Cerebral Palsy.

In October 2007, a lease/purchase option was signed for a facility under construction at 179 Cross Street in San Luis Obispo. Construction is underway and a move-in date of April 2009 is anticipated.

Other Services

RTA also operates additional transit services in San Luis Obispo County. Of these services, only Nipomo Dial-A-Ride is included in this Short Range Transit Plan.

Nipomo Dial-A-Ride came under RTA management and oversight in 2004. RTA assumed direct operation of Nipomo-Dial-A-Ride in 2005.