Calabasas adding new bus routes

Calabasas officials say they will no longer subsidize school district transportation for elementary and high school riders, but instead will expand the city's own public transit program to assist students in need of transportation.

Starting Sept. 4, the city's public transit program is adding new and bigger routes. The improved bus routes will serve Calabasas High School, A.E. Wright and A.C. Stelle middle schools, and Lupin Hill, Bay Laurel and Chaparral elementary schools. The services will be free of charge.

"We're changing the subsidy that the city has previously been providing (for public school buses) because we feel like we can provide the same benefits through our public transit program," said Tom Gdala, Calabasas' associate transportation planner.

The school district will still provide the same school bus program it always has, Gdala said. But without the city's subsidy, elementary and high school parents must now pay full price to the school district. Middle school parents, however, won't have to pay full price.

Because the Calabasas bus routes will not fully meet the needs of middle school students, the city is offering those parents a break. Calabasas will reimburse 50 percent of the bus fees that middle school parents pay to the school district.

Subsidy applications will soon be available at Calabasas City Hall or at the Las Virgenes Unified School District office.

The city will work on the expanded public transit routes over the summer and should have a final plan by August, Gdala said. He also said that once the routes are up and running, the city would evaluate the program and modify routes as needed.

On a separate note, Gdala pointed out some differences between public buses and school buses.

"By law, school buses have the stop signs that come out of the bus, they have the flashing red lights-cars have to stop in case a kid is crossing the street," Gdala said.

Public transit also will not drop off and pick up students right in front of schools, but will instead stop at nearby locations.

More information about the city's expanded public transit program will become available once the program is finalized, officials said. Program status and schedules will be posted on the transportation department page of the Calabasas website at www.cityofcalabasas.com.

The city was to expand its Line One shuttle services June 19 for summer school students.