Whether you drive, ride, or roll – Riverside County offers flexible travel options to fit your lifestyle. From buses and trains to carpools and vanpools, it’s never been easier to explore more convenient and efficient ways to commute. This October, take part in two national campaigns that encourage the use of public transit, ridesharing, and alternative modes of travel.

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, celebrate the 8^th annual California Clean Air Day by riding the train or bus! Public transit operators across Riverside County will be offering free rides on this day, including Metrolink, Riverside Transit Agency (including CommuterLink and GoMicro), and many others! If you’ve never ridden the bus or train before, now is the perfect time to get started.

Rideshare Week (October 6 – 10) encourages travelers to explore new ways to commute other than driving alone – such as carpooling, vanpooling, walking, biking, or public transit – and IE Commuter provides incentives for doing so. IE Commuter, the popular commuter program led by RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, provides ride-matching services, trip planning tools, and exciting prizes just for participating. Discover a smarter, more affordable way to commute by visiting IECommuter.org.

Funding for bus and passenger rail services, motorist assistance, and ridesharing programs used by Riverside County residents is thanks in part to Measure A; the twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. By expanding travel options throughout the region, RCTC continues to improve mobility for the people of Riverside County. Learn more about Measure A by visiting: rctc.org/measure-a

No car? No problem. There’s more than one way to get around Riverside County. The region’s bus, passenger rail, and ridesharing programs are available for residents to get to their destinations without the use of a car. The Clean Air Day and Rideshare Week campaigns hope to encourage increased engagement with public transit services and ridesharing programs by inviting residents to reduce their carbon footprint through alternative travel modes.

Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County, provides funding to expand travel options throughout the region. Some of these funds used for bus and passenger rail services, motorist assistance, and ridesharing programs that residents use every day to get to and from work or around their community.

Here’s how residents can get involved:

The Coalition for Clean Air’s 7th annual California Clean Air Day raises awareness about air pollution and promotes actions – such as taking public transit, bringing lunch to work, or even shopping locally – to improve air quality and protect public health. Riverside County transit service providers will make it easy to take action by offering free rides on Clean Air Day. Metrolink will be providing free rides on all trains and Riverside Transit Agency will be offering free rides on all local, CommuterLink, and GoMicro buses. To get started, take the Clean Air Day pledge and enjoy a free bus or train ride on October 2.

Rideshare Week (Oct. 7 – 11) encourages commuters – whose main mode of transportation to work features driving a car – to explore new modes of travel with an emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as biking, walking, vanpools, riding the bus or taking the train. IE Commuter, a collaboration between RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, is a popular ridesharing program that assists commuters by providing incentives for ridesharing, personal ride matching services (including carpools and vanpools), Park & Ride lot information, and transit trip planning services. In 2023, IE Commuter supported more than 1,100 regional employers and reduced 10.7 million pounds in vehicle emissions through ridesharing programs and RCTC’s VanClub service.

This October, ditch the car keys and hop on the bus or train, join a carpool, or ride your bike to work and enjoy an improved, stress-free commute.

After extensive public outreach and evaluation of the transportation needs across Riverside County, the Commission has decided that 2024 is not the year to ask Riverside County residents to approve a one-cent sales tax measure to fund transportation projects and services outlined in the Commission-approved 2024 Traffic Relief Plan (TRP). The TRP was developed over a years-long public input effort with Riverside County residents identifying over $30 billion in needed transportation improvements in communities across Riverside County.

“The Traffic Relief Plan shows that we are listening to our residents and looking for ways to reduce traffic congestion, invest in public transportation, fill potholes, and respond to natural disasters to keep our roads safe,” said RCTC Chair Lloyd White and Beaumont City Council Member. “Now it’s not the time to seek voter approval on a new measure to fund the Traffic Relief Plan, but I think the time is coming soon.”

While the Commission was informed at its July 10 meeting that there is significant countywide public support to fund transportation projects, the high public support is just shy of the 2/3rds voter approval threshold required by law to pass a sales tax measure in Riverside County. What has remained consistent throughout years of public engagement is that around 80% of Riverside County voters believe there is at least some need for funding to solve the region’s transportation issues.

The TRP’s proactive framework was designed to meet the region’s transportation needs based on the anticipated population and economic growth as predicted by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Although the Commission has decided not to place a sales tax measure on the 2024 General Election ballot, the improvements and investments identified in the TRP are ready to be implemented when funding becomes available. Projects such as the Coachella Valley Rail, I-15 Express Lanes Southern Extension, Perris Valley Line Double Tracking, and the Mid-County Parkway Ramona Expressway continue to make strides under the current funding levels. Still, more funding will be needed to build the transportation system that Riverside County residents deserve.

Members of RCTC’s popular vanpool program, VanClub, now have more reasons to celebrate. In addition to the reduced stress, travel time, and commuting cost benefits associated with joining a vanpool with their favorite coworkers, members are now eligible for vanpool subsidies when commuting to worksites in the eastern part of the county, such as the Coachella Valley and Palo Verde Valley. The program’s expansion into eastern Riverside County is a result of the recent transition of SunLine Transit Agency’s vanpools. The agency sunset its SolVan program and transferred existing vanpools to RCTC’s VanClub program. The consolidation will streamline services and enhance the efficiency of vanpool operations across the county, allowing commuters interested in vanpooling to have a large pool of potential ridesharing buddies.

VanClub provides a subsidy of up to $600 per month for all eligible vanpools destined for worksites in Riverside County. The subsidy amount varies and is applied to the cost of the vanpool lease, which includes vehicle maintenance, roadside assistance, and insurance—subject to eligibility and restrictions. This significant financial assistance helps commuters save money and reduce the wear and tear on their personal vehicles.

Since its inception in 2018, RCTC’s VanClub program has been instrumental in providing cost-saving transportation options for commuters with long commutes and challenging schedules. By offering subsidies to eligible vanpools, VanClub has successfully reduced nearly 17 million vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) and 6,400 tons of pollutants, making a significant impact on the environment in our communities. Your choice to join VanClub is not just about saving money; it’s about making a difference by reducing your carbon footprint, getting cars off the road, and enhancing your quality of life through less stressful and more sustainable commuting options.

RCTC’s VanClub is committed to providing safe and reliable vanpools for all, including agricultural workers. Through its partnership with the California Vanpool Authority, a public transit agency, VanClub ensures that a wider range of commuters, regardless of their industry, have equitable access to cost-effective and environmentally friendly transportation options.

“Vanpooling has made my 100-mile daily commute manageable. Sharing the commute with others provides camaraderie. It also reduces my carbon emissions and saves money. Driving alone no longer makes sense,” said VanClub member James E.

VanClub exemplifies RCTC’s commitment to providing innovative and cost-effective transportation solutions for commuters in Riverside County. The program is partially funded by Riverside County’s Measure A, a half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements and services. Additional funding is provided by local Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction (MSRC) and U.S. Department of Transportation Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant funds. To sign up for VanClub, visit vanclub.net.

At its June 12 meeting, the Commission awarded $9.9 million in Measure A funding for 20 projects to 15 non-profit and public agencies that provide specialized transit services across Riverside County for Fiscal Years 2024 through 2027.

For Riverside County’s most vulnerable residents – seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals – accessing transportation options to medical appointments, social services, and everyday activities can be challenging. RCTC’s Specialized Transit Program makes a significant difference in filling in the gaps not met by other forms of transportation. Specialized Transit Programs support operating and capital projects such as senior transportation shuttles, non-emergency medical transportation services, bus pass/voucher programs, mileage reimbursement programs, travel training, vehicle and maintenance equipment, and communications and dispatch equipment.

At its meeting, Commissioners heard first-hand how valuable this funding is for organizations providing the services and those who use it. “We are thrilled and very grateful to have been recommended for RCTC funding through the Measure A program,” said Jessica Muñoz, President and CEO of Voices for Children – one of the 15 grant recipients. The non-profit recruits, trains, and supports Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers who speak up for the needs and well-being of children in foster care.

Muñoz added, “the funding is important to us for many reasons. One of the ways that our volunteer advocates support youth in care is by providing transportation for them when they need to attend court hearings, meetings in the community, school events, and sometimes even enrichment activities that they have no other way to participate in.”

RCTC has heard from additional organizations about the value of funding for these services.

The 15 Measure A Specialized Transit Program grant recipients include:

• Boys & Girls Club of Menifee Valley
• Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County
• Care-A-Van Transit Inc
• City of Norco Parks – Recreation and Community Services Department
• Forest Folk, Inc.
• Friends of Moreno Valley Senior Center, Inc,
• Operation Safehouse
• Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health (RUHS-BH)
• Riverside University Health System – Medical Center (RUHS-MC)
• EXCEED
• Angel View
• Independent Living Partnership
• Voices for Children
• Blindness Support Service
• Michelle’s Place

With these latest grants, RCTC continues to uphold its commitment of providing funding to non-profit providers of transit services for vulnerable Riverside County residents.

The Riverside County Transportation Commission adopted a $1.3 billion annual budget to fund critical transportation projects and services this month. With the approval of the budget, the Commission set its funding priorities for transportation investments that will help communities across Riverside County.

The priorities include providing direct funding to cities and the County for local road improvement projects. Funding for regionally significant programs and projects such as highway improvements, transit and passenger rail operations, and major corridor improvements are also highlighted in the budget.

RCTC’s budget is project-driven and also encompasses all transportation services and programs administered by RCTC. Significant project and program investments include:

• 71/91 Interchange Project 
• I-15 Smart Freeway Pilot Project 
• Mid-County Parkway Projects, including Ramona Expressway 
• I-15 Express Lanes Southern Extension 
• Metrolink Moreno Valley-Perris Double Tracking 
• Bus Operations and Specialized Transit Programs 
• Streets and Roads Improvements 

The Commission also approved the FY 2024/25 Short Range Transit Plans (SRTP) which are three to five year plans for Riverside County’s operators including the Riverside Transit Agency, Sunline Transit, Palo Varde Valley Transit Agency, Banning Connect, Beaumont Transit, Corona Cruiser, Riverside Connect, and RCTC’s Rail and Vanpool programs.

RCTC, as the transportation planning agency, is responsible by statute to review and approve SRTPs with the intention of identifying transit services and capital improvements, help guide operators’ activities, and to provide justification for operating and capital assistance.

The Commission’s fiscal year annual budget demonstrates RCTC’s financial prudence and strategic planning. The budget identifies funding from local, state, and federal funding sources. Through Measure A, the voter-approved ½ cent sales tax measure, RCTC is able to leverage local funds, while also tapping into federal and state funding, ensuring the stability and success of projects, programs, and services in our communities. To ensure transparency, independent audits of expenditures are made available at rctc.org/finance.  

Check out the projects RCTC is working toward at rctc.org/projects.

RCTC is paving the way for transportation improvements in Riverside County! The Commission secured $9.5 million in federal community project funding through legislation signed into law on March 9. This funding will help fund the Coachella Valley Rail Project, State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations Project, and the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley to Perris. These projects will help enhance mobility, transportation choice, and travel time reliability across Riverside County.

Representative Calvert secured RCTC’s request for $5 million to advance the Tier II environmental phase of the Coachella Valley (CV) Rail Project. This game-changing project aims to deliver daily intercity passenger rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley.

CV Rail service would extend 144 miles from Los Angeles Union Station to Indio, and offer stops at nine stations across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. As the Coachella Valley continues its rapid population and economic growth, new modes of transportation are needed to connect residents with the broader southern California region and beyond.

More than 160,000 people travel through the San Gorgonio Pass daily, adding to congestion on local highways. CV Rail will offer an alternative to driving that will enhance mobility while improving air quality for surrounding communities. CV Rail fills the unmet need of connecting travelers from across the region with restaurants, resorts, music festivals, sports facilities, and other tourism and economic centers.

Thanks to Representative Young Kim, $4 million was awarded to the State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations Project (91 ECOP). Eastbound traffic on State Route 91 near the Riverside/Orange County border experiences frequent congestion, particularly in the late afternoons and evenings as residents return from work and school. Additionally, more than 40% of the nation’s goods travel through inland southern California on trucks traveling east along State Route 91.

The 91 ECOP addresses these congestion challenges by adding a non-tolled lane on eastbound State Route 91 between the State Route 241 Toll Road and State Route 71 in Corona. This project will reduce traffic delays and improve safety for travelers by reducing merging and weaving between lanes.

Rounding out the award of federal funds, RCTC received $500,000 for the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley to Perris, which was made possible by Representative Mark Takano. The Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line currently only has one set of tracks, limiting opportunities to provide additional, bidirectional service to meet the growing transportation needs of residents in Riverside County. The project will add a second track between the Moreno Valley/March Field Station and north of the Perris-Downtown Station.

The project is adjacent to historically underinvested communities that need reliable and efficient transit options that serve as alternatives to driving along the congested Interstate 215. Residents will enjoy enhanced access to jobs and education, reduced air pollution, and increased service as Metrolink seeks to achieve its goal of providing bidirectional service every 30 minutes ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.

RCTC thanks Representatives Calvert, Kim, and Takano for their leadership in delivering transportation funding to Riverside County – improving mobility and quality of life for residents.

The Coachella Valley Rail Project (CV Rail) continues moving forward. Over the past year, the CV Rail project has made progress in getting funding for the next phase and coordinating closely with city and agency partners. Recently, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) made a big announcement to help keep project momentum going. The FRA added the CV Rail Project to the federal Identification and Development Program (Corridor ID) and awarded the project $500,000.

Why is this important? By being included in the Corridor ID program, the CV Rail project is now considered vital to developing intercity passenger rail across the Country. That’s a big deal. The designation will allow RCTC, Caltrans, and other project partners to better compete for engineering and construction grants as projects continue to move forward.

“I am pleased to see the Federal Rail Administration recognize the value CV Rail will bring to Riverside County. By including CV Rail in the Corridor ID program, the federal government has signaled that the project is viable and warrants attention,” said RCTC Chair and Lake Elsinore City Council Member Robert “Bob” Magee. “This designation will help CV Rail compete for more federal grants that will help get this service up and running for our residents,” he said.

In addition to being added to the Corridor ID program, the FRA will provide $500,000 to allow our project partners to create a Service Development Plan that will outline the future needs of passenger rail. The first round of route selections is intended to identify existing and potential new routes to create an intercity passenger rail system across the Country.

Daily intercity passenger rail to and from the Coachella Valley has long been a local and statewide priority. The new service will offer mobility choices, reduce traffic congestion, and expand economic opportunities by connecting the growing Riverside County desert communities to various resorts, commercial, retail, and quality jobs.

Learn more about the Coachella Valley Rail project at www.rctc.org/cvr

Transportation projects in Riverside County may receive a funding boost later this year with the help of our local congressional delegation. In a bid to move regionally significant projects forward, Representatives Ken Calvert, Young Kim, and Mark Takano have submitted three projects on RCTC’s behalf under the Congressional Community Project Funding (CPF) program.

In July, requests included in the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations bill include three RCTC-led projects:

• Representative Ken Calvert: $5 million for the Coachella Valley Rail Project
• Representative Young Kim: $4 million for the State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations Project
• Representative Mark Takano: $500,000 for the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley-Perris

Securing funding for the Coachella Valley Rail Project is critical to providing expanded passenger rail service to Riverside County residents, increasing access to jobs, education, and services. In July 2022, the Commission unanimously certified the Tier 1 Program-Level Environmental Document for the Coachella Valley Rail Project. Since certification, RCTC has been working diligently to secure state and federal funding for the Tier 2 environmental document that will identify and study potential station locations and detailed engineering, moving the project closer to shovel ready.

The 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations Project is in the early phases of planning. In partnership with Caltrans, the Orange County Transportation Authority, the City of Corona, and the Transportation Corridor Agencies, RCTC is proposing to add an eastbound 91 lane from the 241 Toll Road connector to the 71 in Corona. Engineering and environmental studies have begun and are expected to take 2-3 years. With the help of federal funding, RCTC can complete the engineering and environmental phase.

As part of planned upgrades to the 91/ Perris Valley Line, the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley-Perris will add a second set of tracks between the Moreno Valley/March Field Station and the Perris-South Station. The additional tracks will facilitate Metrolink improved operations, allow for increased future service and ensure reliability as part of Metrolink SCORE’s program – just in time for the 2028 Olympics.

With the support and leadership of Representatives Calvert, Kim, and Takano, funding for these much-needed transportation projects will help address the needs of Riverside County’s rapidly growing communities. RCTC will continue to closely monitor the appropriations process and advocate for increased transportation funding at the federal level.