Proposed service reductions to the area include the discontinuation of eight weekday trains on the Ventura County line through the cancellation of trains 103, 105, 107, 108, 112, 114, 900 and 901.
That could affect commuters who work in Glendale, but who live in the east valley areas, although officials said the lines were targeted because they had low ridership and lagged far behind in terms of their cost-benefit.
Eric Haley, Metrolink’s interim chief executive, stressed that no Antelope Valley lines would be targeted for elimination, and that vendors eased the budget crunch by agreeing to about $3.2 million in foregone profits.
“All of the reductions in ridership affect fewer than 2% of our riders, and that assumes that none of them will choose other Metrolink alternatives,” Haley said. “And we take some satisfaction in that because a great deal of time was spent in picking out those most vulnerable routes.”
Proposed cuts to the Ventura County line include a train that departs about 7:30 p.m. from Glendale, through downtown Burbank and the Bob Hope Airport Train Station and onto Chatsworth.
A 9 a.m. train to Moorpark and a 10 a.m. train to Chatsworth remain vulnerable. Trains heading into Union Station in Los Angeles from the airport train station via downtown Burbank and Glendale about 8:45, 11:05 and 11:50 a.m. also stand to be slashed.
Ventura County, one of five counties that fund Metrolink, is in a bind when it comes to its expected $10.5-million contribution because it is the only one in the region that does not receive a portion of sales tax for transportation, said Metrolink board Chairman Keith Millhouse, a Moorpark councilman.
Metrolink officials stressed that absent major spending cutbacks, fare increases of between 3% and 6% would be needed to maintain revenues.
