MST faces possible funding cut despite growth in riders

The amount of people taking the bus statewide has been going down over the years, but not here on the Central Coast.

Monterey-Salinas Transit is seeing the highest record of bus riders since 2008, totaling about 4.5 million people this past fiscal year. It is the fifth year in a row MST has grown.

“It’s very cheap for me…I pay a $1.75 sometimes $3.50 depending on what the cost is,” said Antonio Vela, who commutes from Greenfield to Salinas. “It’s a lot of driving, an hour and 15 minutes, but I enjoy the ride. I usually read a book or keep busy with something.”

MST covers a big area, going as far south as Templeton to all the way up to San Jose. Their buses serve a full fifth of the California Coast.

For many riders, the bus is cheaper than owning a car.

“The cost of owning, maintaining, insuring and financing a private automobile…can cost up to $10,000 to $12,000 a year to the average household,” said Carl Sedoryk, the general manager and chief executive officer of MST.

But a November ballot initiative that repeals the SB1 gas tax, Proposition 6, also threatens to cut off some funding to public transportation including MST.

While Prop 6 supporters argue Californians are being taxed too much, MST is worried it will cost them.

“That would have an impact of over $2.5 million a year to Monterey-Salinas Transit operations,” said Sedoryk.

If Prop 6 passes, MST says they are prepared to cut services.

“We would look at reducing routes, reducing frequency, reducing the hours of service, maybe starting later and ending earlier, or routes that used to run 15 minutes may run every half an hour,” said Sedoryk.

While he is hopeful it will not come to that, he sees a great irony in that possibility even while demand is at a ten-year high.

MST also has a taxi voucher and rides program which serves seniors, people with disabilities and veterans. However, those services are funded by Measure Q and will not be affected by the Prop 6 vote in November.