RCTC is responsible for the oversight, funding and coordination of all public transportation services in Riverside County.
Based on state law, RCTC is mandated to do the following:
- Develop and approve the Short Range Transit Plan for Riverside County
- Evaluate, approve and program projects to be funded from federal, state and local sources as outlined in the approved Short Range Transit Plan
- Administer and allocate state and local transit funds
- Monitor transit service and operations and identify, analyze and recommend potential productivity improvements to improve efficiency and effectiveness
- Ensure completion of financial and performance audits of transit operators
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Coordinate the operation of all public transit within the county
RCTC’s goal is to promote program efficiency and effectiveness between transit operators. RCTC is required to coordinate and resolve all jurisdictional disputes between public transit operators (PUC 130250) and ensure that operators do not compete or unnecessarily duplicate services, but assist each other to provide the maximum level of transit service to the general public at the lowest possible cost (PUC 130262). In order to meet these requirements, maximum cooperation between the Commission and public operators is essential.
A number of public agencies provide both fixed route and specialized transit service in Riverside County. All of these agencies work closely with RCTC regarding allocation of state transit funding and approval of short range transit plans.
In Riverside County, transit options don’t stop with regular buses and trains. Under its Specialized Transit Program, RCTC coordinates the allocation of Measure A funding for services to seniors and persons with disabilities as well as a number of innovative services that serve this same population.
Federal funding through Section 5310, 5316, 5317 is also available to support specialized transit programs. In accordance with the provisions of SAFETEA-LU, recipients under these programs must comply with all federal coordinated planning requirements to be eligible for funds. The reauthorization stipulates that projects selected for funding under these programs must be derived from a locally coordinated, public transit-human services transportation plan (Coordinated Plan).
In the western county, Commission policy apportions 11.6% of the funds for Public Transit Account while in the Coachella Valley, 15% of the revenues are directed to this account. The Western Riverside apportionment funds services to expand commuter rail, implement intercity bus services and support programs to assist the elderly and disabled persons. The Coachella Valley apportionment is provided to SunLine Transit Agency to support their specialized transit services and to improve and expand public transit.
