Belen cedes control of its public transportation

September 29, 2009

The City of Belen officially ceded control of its public transportation system to the Mid-Region Council of Government’s Rio Metro, a state public transportation agency.

The city council unanimously passed a memorandum of agreement that hands over control of the city’s public transportation infrastructure, which includes employees, shuttle buses and routes, to the Rio Metro Regional Transit District.

The councilors said the employees won’t be affected by the change. It’s new bosses but the same pay.

“Rio Metro will provide funding for the transit services in Belen,” said Bruce Rizzieri, regional transit manager with Rio Metro, in addition to management of the transit system, adding, “There will be no degradation of service, employees won’t lose anything that they now have.”

In November, voters passed a new tax for the development of better public transportation in Valencia County. With that money, Rio Metro is working to add buses and routes throughout southern Valencia County. The agency is considering routes in Meadow Lake.

The agency is also trying to secure a similar memorandum of agreement with the Village of Los Lunas to take over the municipality’s public transportation.

“We’re overwhelmed with calls. There’s a high demand in the whole county, even from Los Lunas, Jarales, everywhere,” said Kathryn Baldonado, the city’s transportation director, supporting the change.

The City of Belen will have little control over the development of local public transportation under the agreement, but will continue to participate as members of the Mid-Region Council of Governments.

“It’s a great benefit to the City of Belen,” said Councilor Terese Ulivarri. “That money that we’re using now for transportation will go back into city coffers. Rio Metro will take over the monetary portion of it.”

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