Agenda Item Wording:
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Proposed elimination of Transit Fixed Route 17 - Consider the proposed elimination of Transit Fixed Route 17 that serves the Visalia Industrial Park and the scheduling of a 30-day public comment period and public hearing.
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Agenda Date: 07/20/2026
Prepared by:
Angelina Baker, Transit Manager, Angelina.Baker@visalia.gov, (559)713-4591
John Lollis, Assistant City Manager, John.Lollis@visalia.gov, (559)713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report, open a public comment period and schedule a public hearing for its meeting on September 7, 2026, to consider the proposed elimination of the Transit Fixed Route 17 due to low ridership.
Summary:
Staff proposes what is defined by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as a major service reduction in the proposed elimination of Transit Fixed Route 17 due to exceedingly low ridership effective October 1, 2026. The FTA defines a major service reduction as twenty-five percent (25%) or more reduction of the number of transit route miles of a route, i.e. the total mileage covered during one round trip by a vehicle in revenue service on a particular route. Consistent with FTA guidelines and regulations with respect to a proposed major service reduction, a thirty (30) day public comment period must be noticed in a newspaper of general circulation in the urbanized area prior to the proposed Public Hearing date of September 7, 2026. The City will also post public notices on buses, on the City website, and on its various social media channels. Staff will receive comments and feedback in person, via telephone, online response and email, which will be reported to the Council at the Public Hearing on September 7th should it be scheduled.
Background Discussion:
Transit Route 17 was established in October 2021 to provide transportation access within the growing Visalia Industrial Park to support the increasing number of jobs within the Industrial Park, most notably the opening of the Amazon Fulfillment Center (FAT2) also in October 2021. As a new transit service, Route 17 was eligible for federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program grant funding to support implementation, which the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) provided $1,385,983 to primarily support the first two (2) years of the new route’s operation with a City match of $179,569 from Local Transportation Funds (LTF).
The following table provides a breakdown of the hourly and mileage costs of Route 17 since its implementation in October 2021, which does not include City overhead costs:
|
|
Hours |
Miles |
Total |
|
FY 21 |
$86,717.74 |
$33,710.10 |
$120,427.84 |
|
FY 22 |
$364,000.21 |
$139,492.62 |
$503,492.83 |
|
FY 23 |
$334,555.08 |
$130,359.36 |
$464,914.44 |
|
FY 24 |
$460,042.94 |
$151,786.95 |
$611,829.89 |
|
FY 25 |
$634,614.09 |
$148,914.82 |
$783,528.91 |
|
FY 26* |
$648,855.89 |
$153,912.57 |
$802,738.46 |
|
*estimate |
|
TOTAL |
$3,286,932.37 |
As shown in the table above, the hours and miles cost of Route 17 since its implementation is estimated at $3,286,932. As previously mentioned, federal CMAQ grant funding provided $1,385,983 in initial financial support (with City match funding of $179,569), with the City subsequently expending $1,721,380 in federal transit and local transportation funds following the exhaustion of the CMAQ grant funding.
The ridership on Route 17 provided in the attached exhibit is exceedingly low, making it an inefficient route to operate when compared to its expense and passengers served.
Given Route 17 includes approximately 11,000 revenue hours per year, the hourly ridership reported in the table above reflects approximately 0.30 riders per hour, which the City historically has used five (5) riders per hour as its metric for route ridership performance. For comparison, the next lowest route ridership performance is Route 16 at approximately two (2) riders per hour and Route 7 at three (3) riders per hour, and the highest route ridership performance being Route 1 at ten (10) riders per hour.
In late May and early June of 2026, Transit Division staff attempted to conduct onboard rider surveys to understand more about Route 17 and its passengers. The purpose of this assessment was to evaluate the effectiveness of Route 17 in serving the Industrial Park and to determine whether the route continues to meet the transportation needs of that segment of the community.
Observations and Findings
Recent ridership data indicates that Route 17 consistently experiences exceedingly low passenger activity. Through multiple observations conducted along the route, buses were frequently operating with no passengers on board for most of the service period. To better understand rider needs and travel patterns, staff attempted to conduct onboard surveys. During the observation period, only one (1) passenger utilized the route.
In addition to the limited survey participation, field observations revealed that Route 17 is often traveling through its service area without carrying passengers. This trend has remained consistent with ridership data collected over time.
Current ridership levels suggest that the service is not being utilized as intended. It is likely that the workforce within the service area have found alternative transportation options, such as personal vehicles, carpooling arrangements, or rideshare services with 195 rides on Visalia Connect microtransit service to or from the Amazon facility specifically within the last year. Additionally, the route's service frequency and scheduled times may not align with the transportation needs of employees working within the industrial area, further contributing to low utilization.
Based on ridership data, direct field observations, and the limited rider feedback obtained, Route 17 is not effectively serving the community or generating sufficient demand to justify continued operation. The consistently low ridership indicates that the transportation needs within the service area are being met through alternative means. As a result, discontinuation of Route 17 is being proposed, with resources potentially reallocated to services demonstrating higher demand and greater community benefit.
Proposed Timeline
Public comment period opening: July 20, 2026
Public comment period closed: August 21, 2026
City Council Public Hearing: September 7, 2026
Route 17 elimination October 1, 2026
Transit Division staff is currently beginning its next Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) “Reimagine Study”. The SRTP is a guiding document that is federally required and updated every five (5) years to help steer the transit agency, evaluating and positioning the Visalia Transit system for efficient and effective service over the next five (5) years. Staff began working with a consultant firm (Jarret Walker & Associates) in Spring 2026 with the final anticipated delivery of the Reimagine Study in Spring 2027. Additionally, the City is coordinating with TCAG and the Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE) in the development of a transit hub at the TCOE Doe Complex site in the Industrial Park as a part of the planned Cross Valley Corridor express bus service between Visalia and Hanford.
Fiscal Impact including annual maintenance and operating costs:
Route 17 is currently not being funded by any specific grant funds and is therefore being supported by the Transit Division operating budget which is comprised of a mixture of federal transit and local transportation funds.
Prior Council Action: N/A
Alternatives:
Council could direct staff to continue with the operation of Route 17 until the SRTP Reimagine Study is completed in the Spring 2027.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize staff to open a 30-day public comment period to receive feedback on the proposed elimination of Transit Fixed Route 17 that services the Visalia Industrial Park and schedule a Public Hearing for the City Council meeting of September 7, 2026, for Council determination.
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Deadline for Action: 07/20/2026
Attachments:
Route 17 monthly activity by year (2022-2026) exhibit
Transit Fixed Route 17 exhibit
City Council meeting presentation
Strategic Goal: Indicates which City Strategic Goal(s) this item supports. Check all that apply.
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☐ Economic Vitality |
☒  Organizational Excellence |
☒ Fiscal Strength |
☒  Infrastructure & Growth |
☐  Quality of Life |