North County Transit District

North County Transit District (NCTD)
Info
Locale	North San Diego County, California
Transit type	Multi-Modal regional transit network consisting of: Buses Light Rail Commuter rail & Paratransit
Operation
Began operation	September 30, 1975; 36 years ago (1975-09-30)
Operator(s)	Breeze & Lift: NCTD Sprinter: Veolia Transportation Coaster: TransitAmerica Services
Reporting marks	SDNR
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
System map

The North County Transit District (NCTD) (reporting mark SDNR) is the agency responsible for public transportation in North San Diego County, California, United States. The agency operates the "Breeze" bus service, the Sprinter light rail service between Oceanside and Escondido, and manages the San Diego Coaster, a commuter rail service between Oceanside and Downtown San Diego, in conjunction with Amtrak.

NCTD owns 62 mi (100 km) of mainline track, as well as the 22 mi (35 km) Escondido Branch that is served by the Sprinter beginning in 2008. The Coaster commuter train runs on 41.1 mi (66.1 km) of the mainline.

NCTD maintains two rail yards. One is shared with the San Diego Trolley at 12th & Imperial in Centre City San Diego. It is used to store trainsets during the midday. The other, located north of Oceanside at Stuart Mesa on Camp Pendleton, is shared with Metrolink. This is where the main maintenance facility is located.

History of the San Diego Northern Railway and NCTD

San Diego Northern Railway (SDNR) purchased the tracks used by Coaster from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1994. NCTD created the subsidiary San Diego Northern Railway Corporation in 1994 and dissolved it in 2002.^[1] Total investments through NCTD total $750 million.

In November 2009, NCTD approved outsourcing all bus and rail operations effective July 1, 2010 to First Transit. The agency would save $70 million over seven years with the move.^[2] Fleet and facility operators remained NCTD employees until their contracts expired June 30, 2011.^[3]

NCTD still uses the SDNR reporting marks for its rail equipment. With new rail operations management, between January 2010 and June 2011 ridership increased 29%. This is the single greatest increase in ridership for all US rail-lines in the year 2010.

Services

• Breeze- Fixed-route local and express bus services.
• Breeze Rapid - Bus rapid transit line in Escondido.
• Coaster- Commuter rail service from Oceanside to Downtown San Diego.
• Lift- Paratransit service for those with disabilities that are unable to use the accessible fixed-route system.
• Sprinter- Light rail from Oceanside to Escondido, California.

Breeze Lines

As of January 2011, there are thirty bus routes run by NCTD.

• 101 - Oceanside Transit Center to UTC via former Highway 101
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Oceanside), Coaster (Oceanside, Carlsbad Village, Encinitas, Solana Beach), Amtrak (Oceanside, Solana Beach), Metrolink (Oceanside), MTS (La Jolla Shores, Torrey Pines Rd, UTC), RTA (Oceanside)
• 302 - Oceanside to Vista Transit Center via Vista Way
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Oceanside, Coast Highway, Vista), Coaster (Oceanside), Amtrak (Oceanside), Metrolink (Oceanside), RTA (Oceanside)
• 303 - Oceanside to Vista via Mission Avenue and N Santa Fe Ave
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Oceanside, Vista), Coaster (Oceanside), Amtrak (Oceanside), Metrolink (Oceanside), RTA (Oceanside)
• 304*/404* - Encinitas to San Marcos via Rancho Santa Fe Road
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Palomar College), Coaster (Encinitas)
• 305 - Escondido Transit Center to Vista via Mission Rd/S Santa Fe Ave
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Vista, Buena Creek, Palomar College, San Marcos Civic Center, Nordahl Rd, Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 306 - Fallbrook to Vista via Mission Rd
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Vista)
• 308 - Solana Beach Station to Escondido via Del Dios Hwy.
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido) Coaster (Solana Beach), Amtrak (Solana Beach), RTA (Escondido)
• 309 - Oceanside to Encinitas via El Camino Real
• 313* - Oceanside to Town Center North via Mesa Drive
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Oceanside), Coaster (Oceanside), Amtrak (Oceanside), Metrolink (Oceanside), RTA (Oceanside)
• 315 - Town Center North to 22 Area (Camp Pendleton) via Vandegrift Blvd.
• 317* - Vandegrift/Gold to Rancho Del Oro Station via Ocean Ranch
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Rancho Del Oro)
• 318** - Oceanside to El Camino Real Station via Oceanside Blvd
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Oceanside, Coast Highway, Crouch St, El Camino Real), Coaster (Oceanside), Amtrak (Oceanside), Metrolink (Oceanside), RTA (Oceanside)
• 319* - El Corazon Senior Center - Rancho Del Oro Station - MiraCosta College
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Rancho Del Oro)
• 321* - Carlsbad Village to Palomar College via Legoland
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Palomar College), Coaster (Carlsbad Village)
• 325** - Carlsbad Village to Town Center North via College Blvd
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (College Blvd), Coaster (Carlsbad Village)
• 331 - Buena Creek Station to University Dr
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Buena Creek)
• 332* - South Vista and Vista Business Park
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Vista)
• 333 - Town Center North to Vista via Old Grove Rd and Oceanside Blvd
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (College Blvd, Melrose Dr, Vista)
• 334*/335* - Vista Circulator
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Melrose Dr, Vista)
• 340* - Cal State San Marcos Shuttle
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Cal State San Marcos)
• 347* - Escondido to Palomar College via Cal State San Marcos
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Palomar College, Cal State San Marcos, Nordahl Rd, Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 350 Breeze Rapid - Escondido to Del Lago Park and Ride
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), MTS (Del Lago), RTA (Escondido)
• 351/352 - Escondido Circulator
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 354 - Orange Glen High School via Mission Rd, Lincoln Ave, and Midway Dr
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 356 - Morning View Dr, El Norte Pkwy, and Escondido Blvd
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 358*/359* - N Broadway, Country Club, and El Norte Pkwy
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 386* - Escondido to Ramona via Wild Animal Park
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), MTS (Ramona), RTA (Escondido)
• 388/389 - Escondido to Pala
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Escondido), RTA (Escondido)
• 395 - Oceanside to San Clemente via Camp Pendleton
  • Transfers to: Sprinter (Oceanside), Coaster (Oceanside), Amtrak (Oceanside), Metrolink (Oceanside), OCTA (San Clemente), RTA (Oceanside)
• 444* - Carlsbad Poinsettia - Coaster Connection
  • Transfers to: Coaster (Carlsbad Poinsettia)
• 445* - Carlsbad Poinsettia - Coaster Connection
  • Transfers to: Coaster (Carlsbad Poinsettia)

* indicates route that does not run on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays.
** indicates route that does not run on Sundays or holidays.

Compass Card

Further information: Compass card

In September 2008, SANDAG introduced a new contactless "Compass Card" using technology by Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. The Compass Card allows passengers from NCTD and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System to store regional transit passes and/or cash value on a re-writeable RFID card.

Smoking Ban

On October 16, 2008, NCTD board members unanimously voted to adopt NCTD Ordinance 1, banning smoking at all transit centers, train stations, and bus stops. The ban does not apply to parking lots at transit centers and there is no penalty for anyone found noncompliant with the ordinance.^[4]

No smoking sign at the Vista Transit Center. Notice the butt receptacle placed about 10 feet behind the sign next to the ticket vending machines.

Surfing Madonna

Main article: Surfing Madonna

One of the trains ugly overpasses just North of the Encinitas COASTER Station, was beautified by a stunning stain glass and tile mosaic in bluescale of a surfing Virgin Mary in Encinitas, California, called the Surfing Madona, that city is removing it.

See also

• San Diego Public Transportation

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/nov/20/outsourcing-nctds-bus-services-approved/
3. ^ http://www.gonctd.com/userfiles/file/Board%20Update%20032011%20-%20040211.pdf
4. ^ Minutes of the Special Meeting/Closed Session and the Regular Meeting of North County Transit District, 16 Oct 2008, p. 4, http://www.gonctd.com/pdf_minutes08/10162008_boardminutes.pdf, retrieved 6 March 2009 

External links

• North County Transit District
• Transit agency faces $3 million budget gap (Union Tribune, May 10, 2008)