Village gives control of its public transit to state

January 14, 2010

The Los Lunas Village Council tonight voted unanimously to give its public transportation system to the state, part of a continued effort by the Mid-Region Council of Government’s Rio Metro Regional Transit District to regionalize public transportation.

The village council took the action by approving a memorandum of understanding with Rio Metro.

“The purpose of the agreement is to transfer the funding, management, and operational responsibilities of the Los Lunas transit program to Rio Metro,” said Peter Fernandez, the village administrator.

Fernandez said the 14 employees of the village’s transit program will remain with the village through July, when they will then be transferred to Rio Metro.

The village currently pays 100 percent of their transit employees’ medical expenses. Rio Metro won’t, so the village negotiated to keep the employees’ net salaries under Rio Metro the same as they are with the village.

Bruce Rizzieri, who was representing Rio Metro, said the village was prudent in protecting their employees from any financial losses resulting from the change in employers.

All of the village’s public transportation vehicles will be given to Rio Metro, too. The village included a clause in the agreement that requires Rio Metro to use those vehicles in Los Lunas and the nearby areas only.

“If they get used outside of that area, there will be compensation to the village,” Fernandez said.

Rizzieri said the village can expect improved public transportation with regionalization.

“You will see more service in Los Lunas and you will see more service in Valencia County,” he said. “We want to increase the length of operating hours. We want to have more fixed route service. We want to have service to more places in Los Lunas and Belen and other locations in Valencia County.”

The City of Belen approved a similar memorandum in September.

When the regionalization is complete, most of Valencia County, including areas like Meadow Lake and Jarales, are expected to have shuttle bus service connecting with Los Lunas and Belen.

The Rio Metro Regional Transit District also covers Bernalillo and Sandoval counties.

Rio Metro funds its effort through a special tax approved by voters in November 2008.

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