San Diego – To close a budget gap left by elimination of $14.4 million annually in State Transit Assistance funding, service changes to the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) will start June 14. A fare increase that mostly affects 30-day pass holders is effective July 1.

The service changes and fare increase were done based on input from passengers in February and are designed to create the least possible impact to wallets and schedules, yet still close the deficit. This plan was approved by the MTS Board of Directors in March and the San Diego Association of Governments on May 8.

These changes to the MTS system will impact less than 4 million trips per year. They were decided upon based on cost and ridership demand. On several routes, the frequency during the weekend and evening weekdays after 7 p.m. will be reduced. All timetables are updated on www.sdmts.com and with Google Transit at www.google.com/transit.

Route 86 will be discontinued, but replaced by the new Super Loop in North University City. The last day of service for the Route 86 will be Friday, June 13, and the Super Loop starts Monday, June 15.

Route 14, which runs from Old Town through Hotel Circle to Del Cerro to La Mesa is being split into two routes. A new Route 88 will service Hotel Circle North and South between Old Town and Fashion Valley seven days a week, and Route 14 will operate on weekdays only between the Grantville Trolley Station and Lake Murry Blvd in La Mesa. Riders can use routes 6 or 928 or the Green Line when traveling in Mission Valley.

Premium Express Route riders will see some adjustments to the timetable. Route 870 riders will see the most changes. The route is becoming a regular Express Route and the cash fare will be $2.50 instead of $5.

For the Trolley, on June 20, the Saturday only late overnight “Owl” service will be discontinued on the Blue Line. On June 20, the Saturday only late overnight “Owl” service will be discontinued on the Blue Line. The last southbound Trolley from Old Town to San Ysidro will depart at 11:45pm. The last northbound Trolley from San Ysidro to Old Town will depart at 12:59am.

The fare change is effective July 1. There will be no change to the daily rates for travel, except that the Downtown zone fares are being eliminated.
The 30-day pass price will increase to $72 for adults, $36 for youth and $18 for seniors/disabled/medicare passengers. Passes at this price for the month of July go on sale June 20.

MTS operates a 54.3-mile light rail transit network, 89 fixed bus routes, and ADA Complementary Public Paratransit Service in the San Diego region. In FY08 it set a system record by carrying more than 87 million passengers and MTS is poised to carry 92 million passengers this year. For more information, go to www.sdmts.com.

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