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OXNARD — Gold Coast Transit District (GCTD), Ventura County’s largest provider of public transit, broke ground Wednesday on the future home of its new Operations and Maintenance facility that will support future transit needs for thousands of riders in Ventura County. Congresswoman Julia Brownley and officials from GCTD’s service area including Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura and the County of Ventura, were at the event.
“This facility is an investment in both the future of transit serving Ventura County and the transit workers we depend on to keep a modern, efficient transit fleet in good working order,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley.
The new facility will replace an outdated and deteriorating bus garage located on a 3-acre site that was originally built in the 1970’s for a much smaller fleet. Once built, the new “green facility” will allow GCTD to maintain a future fleet of up to 125 buses and will include an administration and operations building, an eight-bay maintenance and repair building, a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel station and bus wash. Noted Darren Kettle, Executive Director of Ventura County Transportation Commission, “This is the largest transportation infrastructure project in the last 10 years.” The new facility is located at 1901 Auto Center Drive in Oxnard, and is expected to open in late 2018.
“We have to keep our buses, equipment and facilities in good shape so that people can rely on public transit to get to work, school and appointments,” said Steve Brown, General Manager. “This new facility is an example of how investing in transit will help us meet the needs of our riders for decades to come.” Brown specifically recognized Congresswoman Lois Capps for helping to secure a $15 million earmark grant that turned GCTD’s vision into a reality.
GCTD strives to be a leader in sustainable transportation service. With that in mind, the new facility, designed by architects Maintenance Design Group and RNL, will meet all California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) requirements and is expected to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. Environmentally sensitive construction will include energy efficient lighting, low-flow water fixtures, and day-lighting for office areas and bus maintenance bays. The building is also being positioned and designed in such a way that will take maximum advantage of the sun and wind, helping to decrease lighting, heating and air conditioning costs. As the new facility will use 100% LED lighting, the costs will be comparable to the lighting costs at the current facility, though it will be three times in size.
About the District: Gold Coast Transit District provides safe, responsive, convenient, efficient, and environmentally responsible fixed-route bus and paratransit public transportation that serves the diverse needs of the cities of Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura, and in the unincorporated County areas between the cities. Utilizing a fleet of 56 clean natural gas-fueled buses, and 25 paratransit buses and vans, GCTD carries nearly 4 million passengers annually on its 20 bus routes. GCTD is the largest provider of public transit in Ventura County and is governed by a Board of Directors made up of an elected official from each member jurisdiction. For more information or to plan your trip, visit www.GoldCoastTransit.org.