South Central Regional Transit District

Last updated
South Central Regional Transit District
Overview
Area servedSouthern New Mexico
Locale4 Counties
Transit typeLocal and intercity bus
Line number8 Lines
Headquarters Las Cruces, New Mexico
Website http://scrtd.org/
Operation
Began operation2016
Number of vehicles16 [1]
SCRTD Map

SCRTD System Map.jpg

The South Central Regional Transit District operates a network of several local and intercity bus routes in southern New Mexico, serving Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Hatch/Garfield, Anthony, and Sunland Park, with three connections to El Paso, Texas, as well as serving many smaller communities along a network of eight fixed routes. Routes operate Monday through Friday, except the Yellow Line servicing Sunland Park, which operates Monday through Saturday. All routes cost $1 for adults, and $0.50 for children, seniors, students, and people with disabilities. Bus transfers between SCRTD buses are free. The service is supported primarily by federal grants and local funding from membership fees and Doña Ana County funding agreement for services. [1]

Contents

History

The South Central Regional Transit District was created in November 2003 via the Regional Transit District Act signed by Governor Richardson. [1]

Bus services launched February 2016. In 2016, the district, with a two-year funding agreement with Doña Ana County initiated transit service on four bus routes from Las Cruces to Sunland Park, Anthony and Chaparral. Later that year, the district secured a 5311 grant to support the operation of bus service in Dona Ana County and a 5310 grant to enhance the Purple route operating from Anthony to Sunland Park with connections to El Paso's Westside Transit Center. [1] In 2018 transit service frequency increased on three of the four routes and ridership grew by 61 percent. Further, the district updated its Five-Year Financial and Service Plan to reflect new services and grant funding programmed or received. [1] [2] [3]

Google Maps

SCRTD has collaborated with Google Maps to allow riders to view bus routes and the bus stops on the routes to make navigating the bus routes easier. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Expansion

In 2017 the District extended service to connect to El Paso County from Chaparral and Sunland Park. With additional funds, service frequency was improved. These actions improved ridership throughout the service area on all bus routes. [1] In collaboration with the City of Sunland Park, SCRTD began operations in Sunland Park and implemented the Yellow Line servicing Sunland Park and connecting to the Downtown Transfer Center in El Paso, Texas. [8]

Green energy

Bus Cover with logo.jpg

In 2020, SCRTD purchased two hybrid-electric Gillig buses to service the Yellow Line. [9] These buses are the first hybrid-electric buses to be implemented in Southern New Mexico. They are quiet, reliable, and fuel-efficient buses that provide many benefits. Some of the benefits of hybrid-electric buses are that they significantly reduce carbon emissions, reduce fuel consumption by around 33%, and they require less maintenance. They are also equally reliable as traditional buses, but have the added benefit of a smoother, quieter ride. [10] In 2020, SCRTD installed bus shelters with solar powered lighting. The solar powered lighting will help to provide an emissions free and safe environment for riders waiting at bus stops. [11]

List of routes

Red Line: Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Terminal to Anthony, New Mexico Transfer Center,

Purple Line: Anthony Transfer Center to Sunland Park City Hall

Yellow Line: Servicing Sunland Park, New Mexico with a connection at the El Paso, Texas Downtown Transfer Center

Silver Line: Sunland Park City Hall to the El Paso Westside Transfer Center

Green Line: Garfield Post Office via Highway 185 to NMSU Gerald Thomas Hall

Turquoise Line: Anthony Transfer Center to El Paso Northgate via Chaparral

Copper Line: Operates from the Greyhound Terminal to the Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Terminal located in downtown Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Mesilla, New Mexico.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony, New Mexico</span> City in New Mexico, United States

Anthony is a city in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 9,360 at the 2010 census. It is located on the New Mexico–Texas state line in the Upper Mesilla Valley, and on Interstate 10, 24 miles south of Las Cruces and 18 miles north of El Paso, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaparral, New Mexico</span> Census-designated place in New Mexico, United States

Chaparral is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Doña Ana and Otero counties, New Mexico. The population was 14,631 at the 2010 census. Chaparral is primarily a bedroom community for the neighboring city of El Paso, Texas, and the neighboring military installations of White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss. It is officially part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Cruces, New Mexico</span> City in New Mexico, United States

Las Cruces is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico and the seat of Doña Ana County. As of the 2020 census the population was 111,385. Las Cruces is the most populous city in both Doña Ana County and southern New Mexico. The Las Cruces metropolitan area had an estimated population of 213,849 in 2017. It is the principal city of a metropolitan statistical area which encompasses all of Doña Ana County and is part of the larger El Paso–Las Cruces combined statistical area with a population of 1,088,420 making it the 56th largest combined statistical area in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mesilla, New Mexico</span> Town in New Mexico, United States

Mesilla is a town in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,196 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Teresa, New Mexico</span> Census-designated place in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States

Santa Teresa is a census-designated place (CDP) in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, United States. It is home to the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and is part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area, although geographically it is considerably closer to El Paso, Texas than to Las Cruces. While the United States Census Bureau has defined Santa Teresa as a CDP, the census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name. The population was 4,258 at the 2010 census and 5,044 at the 2020 census. The National Weather Service El Paso Weather Forecast Office that serves extreme western Texas and Southwestern New Mexico states is based in Santa Teresa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunland Park, New Mexico</span> City in New Mexico, United States

Sunland Park is a city in southern Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States, on the borders of Texas and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, with Ciudad Juárez adjoining it on the south and El Paso, Texas, on the east. The community of Santa Teresa adjoins it on the northwest. The population of Sunland Park was 14,106 at the 2010 census and was estimated at 17,978 by the United States Census Bureau in 2019. Though it lies adjacent to El Paso, being in Doña Ana County makes it a part of the Las Cruces metropolitan statistical area. Las Cruces is 42 miles (68 km) to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio Grande Council of Governments</span>

The Rio Grande Council of Governments (RGCOG) is a voluntary association of cities, counties and special districts in West Texas and Doña Ana County, New Mexico

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Selden</span> United States historic place in New Mexico

Fort Selden was a United States Army post, occupying the area in what is now Radium Springs, New Mexico. The site was long a campground along the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. It was the site of a Confederate Army camp in 1861. The U.S. Army established Fort Selden in 1865 for the purpose of protecting westward settlers from Native American raids, but the post fell into disrepair after the American Civil War. It was ultimately abandoned in 1891, due in large part to the decision to expand Fort Bliss and the lack of any expenditures for repair of the facility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 10 in New Mexico</span> Highway in New Mexico

Interstate 10 (I-10) in the US state of New Mexico is a 164.264-mile (264.357 km) long route of the United States Interstate Highway System. I-10 traverses southern New Mexico through Hidalgo, Grant, Luna, and Doña Ana counties. The interstate travels west–east from the Arizona state line to the interchange with I-25 in Las Cruces, and then travels north–south to the Texas state line. US Route 80 in New Mexico (US 80) was replaced by I-10.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio Grande Trail</span> Proposed trail in New Mexico, United States

The Rio Grande Trail is a proposed long distance trail along the Rio Grande in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The river extends over 1,800 total miles, some 700 miles (1,100 km) of which pass through the heart of New Mexico. It is the state's primary drainage feature and most valuable natural and cultural resource. The river and its bosque provide a wide variety of recreation, including hunting and fishing, birdwatching, river rafting, hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The river also flows through or beside numerous spectacular and geologically interesting landforms, the result of extensive volcanism and erosion of the valley within the Rio Grande Rift. Although some trail advocates would like to see the trail extended the full distance through New Mexico, from the Colorado border to the United States–Mexico border, the portion proposed for initial development extends 300 miles (480 km), from Bernalillo south to Las Cruces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso–Juárez</span> Trans-border agglomeration between US and Mexico

El Paso–Juárez, also known as Juárez–El Paso, the Borderplex or Paso del Norte, is a transborder agglomeration, on the border between Mexico and the United States. The region is centered on two large cities: Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, U.S. Additionally, nearby Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S., is sometimes included as part of the region, referred to as El Paso–Juárez–Las Cruces or El Paso–Juárez–Southern New Mexico. With over 2.7 million people, this binational region is the 2nd largest conurbation on the United States–Mexico border. The El Paso–Juárez region is the largest bilingual, binational work force in the Western Hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doña Ana County, New Mexico</span> County in New Mexico, United States

Doña Ana County is located in the southern part of the State of New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 219,561, which makes it the second-most populated county in New Mexico. Its county seat is Las Cruces, the second-most populous municipality in New Mexico after Albuquerque, with 111,385 as of the 2020 U.S. Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 80 in New Mexico</span> Segment of American highway

U.S. Route 80 was a major transcontinental highway in the U.S. state of New Mexico from November 11, 1926, to October 12, 1991. Nationally, US 80 stretched from San Diego, California to Tybee Island, Georgia, going through southern New Mexico from El Paso, Texas, through the towns of Las Cruces, Deming and Lordsburg before entering Arizona. US 80 was a modest 191 miles (307 km) long and was eventually replaced by Interstate 10 leading to the complete removal of US 80 in New Mexico. State Road 80 is a remnant of this route.

Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) is a school district headquartered in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school district covers the city of Las Cruces as well as White Sands Missile Range, the settlement of Doña Ana, and the town of Mesilla. The system has 25 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and six high schools. Of the high schools, St. Mary's Catholic high school, Alma D'Arte, Las Montañas, and Arrowhead Park Early College High School are alternative high schools, and there are nearly 25,000 students and 3,600 employees. LCPS is the second-largest school district in New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso–Las Cruces, Texas–New Mexico combined statistical area</span> Combined Statistical Area

The El Paso–Las Cruces, Texas–New Mexico, combined statistical area consists of two counties in western Texas and one in southern New Mexico. This CSA was defined as part of the United States Office of Management and Budget's 2013 delineations for metropolitan, micropolitan, and combined statistical areas.< As of the 2023 United States Census Estimate, the El Paso-Las Cruces CSA had a population of 1,098,541 making it the 56th largest combined statistical area in the United States. The statistical area consists of the metropolitan areas of El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico. This CSA has a GDP of about $33 billion and would rank 58th nationally among all CSA or metro areas. The total land area of the El Paso–Las Cruces combined statistical area is 9,402 sq. mi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doña Ana Community College</span> Community college in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, U.S.

Doña Ana Community College is a public community college with several campuses in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. It was established in 1973 at the request of the Gadsden, Hatch, and Las Cruces school boards to provided vocational and technical education opportunities to the citizens of Doña Ana County. It is independently accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. The community college offers instruction leading to associate degrees and technical certificates and preparation for further academic work. It is a branch of New Mexico State University. Doña Ana Community College has six campuses, with three in Las Cruces, and one each in Anthony, Sunland Park, and Chaparral. Dual credit classes are also offered in conjunction with local high schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NMDOT Park and Ride</span>

NMDOT Park and Ride is the name given to a network of intercity buses in New Mexico and Texas, operated by the New Mexico Department of Transportation. The network is composed of eleven routes, including eight intercity routes and three local shuttle routes in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the fifth largest public bus transit operation in New Mexico based on ridership, with a yearly ridership of 315,738 for 2014. Service is provided in the morning and evening peak hours, with no service during midday, and buses operate on weekdays only.

New Mexico State Road 28 (NM 28) is a 30.346-mile-long (48.837 km) paved, two-lane state highway in Doña Ana County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It travels south-to-north roughly paralleling the Rio Grande.

State Road 478 (NM 478) is a 24.342-mile-long (39.175 km) state highway located entirely within Doña Ana County, New Mexico. Starting in Anthony and ending in Las Cruces, NM 478 was once a section of historic US 80, a major transcontinental highway between San Diego, California and Savannah, Georgia. In 1946, it also became part of U.S. Route 85, when the latter highway was extended south to the Mexican border in El Paso, Texas. US 80 and US 85 were rerouted onto a newer alignment to the east in the mid 1950s. This was also around the time the older highway was designated NM 478. For two years, the southern terminus of NM 478 also served as the national western terminus of US 80 until that highway was removed from New Mexico completely in 1991. Today, NM 478 remains on much the same route it has since it was first designated and serves several old US 80/US 85 communities long since bypassed by I-10

State Road 320 (NM 320), also known as Thorpe Road, is a 2.000-mile (3.219 km) two–lane state highway in the Mesilla Valley in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States, that connects New Mexico State Road 185 (NM 185) with the end of state maintenance in Doña Ana, just northeast of its interchange with Interstate 25/U.S. Route 85 (I-25/US 85).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About Us" . Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  2. "South Central Regional Transit District receives $62,500 Grant for transit plan".
  3. "South Central Regional Transit District now available for las Cruces residents". 17 March 2016.
  4. "Google Maps Purple Line". 19 March 2021.
  5. "Google Maps Turquoise Line" . Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  6. "Google Maps Red Line" . Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  7. "Google Maps Green Line" . Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  8. "Transition to Yellow Line" . Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  9. "Las Cruces Sun News Staff Reports" . Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  10. "January Newsletter" . Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  11. "Transit District installs bus benches, shelters and solar lighting".