What is the Plan?

San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLO RTA, or RTA) is currently updating the Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) for RTA, Runabout and Nipomo Dial-A-Ride.

An SRTP is a five-year transit operating plan and capital program for public transportation.

The updated SRTP will provide an overview of the status of regional services in RTA’s service area. More importantly, it will provide a blueprint for improvements to current services, including potential changes to routes and schedules.

The SRTP will include a complete assessment of the current systems and their riders. It will identify transit needs in San Luis Obispo County, and review alternatives to meet those needs.

The goal of the SRTP is:

To develop a financially sustainable transit system for RTA riders that maximizes productivity and mobility for everyone who travels within the County.

Why We Plan

Public transportation should increase the ability of all County residents and visitors to travel around the County, and provide an alternative to driving.

Public transportation can lessen traffic congestion, promote clean air, provide cost savings and afford other advantages to riders and the community.

To provide these benefits, RTA must successfully provide a usable, convenient alternative transportation mode.

The Short Range Transit Plan's goal, as it relates to the public, can be restated as:

To make it easier for residents and visitors to use RTA for their transportation needs.

How We Plan

The Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) will provide a blueprint for delivering services that are more responsive, more convenient and more cost effective. The updated SRTP will be the "master plan" that will govern RTA’s efforts to improve and encourage public transportation over the next five years.

This Plan will embody:

• Comments from individuals, obtained through public outreach activities including surveys and public meetings;
• Statistical analysis, including demographic trends and system performance;
• Review of other agencies' plans expected to impact transit, such as road changes and key development areas;
• Guidance from RTA’s Board and advisory committees;
• Input from community organizations such as colleges, K-12 schools and social service agencies.