A recent opinion piece titled “Time to Rethink Taxpayer-Funded Bus Services in Orange County” raised questions about how we invest in public transportation. As Chair of the Orange County Transportation Authority, I’d like to share how our agency continues to modernize the county’s transit system to meet the diverse needs of our communities, and why public transit remains an essential public service for many.
Each day, tens of thousands of Orange County residents rely on public transportation to get to work, school, medical appointments, and other vital destinations. In 2024, OCTA recorded more than 37 million boardings across the OC Bus system, a strong recovery following the pandemic and a reflection of the continued demand in many areas of the county.
Transit ridership is especially strong in central Orange County, including cities such as Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Garden Grove, where population density, economic activity, and household transportation needs support high-frequency service. For many individuals – especially working families, seniors, students, and people with disabilities – public transit isn’t just an option; it’s a necessity.
OCTA’s approach to transit planning is data-driven and community-focused. Programs like OC Bus 360° and Making Better Connections have allowed us to analyze ridership trends and shift resources from routes with consistently low usage to routes where service is most needed. In fact, these adjustments have led to nearly a 20% increase in ridership on improved routes. By focusing on efficiency and performance, we work to ensure that every public dollar delivers the greatest possible benefit.
While transit needs differ from one community to the next major transit centers throughout the county show consistent usage, highlighting the continued importance of our system overall. Over the past five years, our five busiest hubs have been:
- Fullerton Transportation Center: 1.2 million boardings
- Newport Beach Transportation Center: 715,000 boardings
- Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center: 714,000 boardings
- Fullerton Park and Ride: 686,000 boardings
- Laguna Hills Transportation Center: 672,000 boardings
To complement the regular OC Bus service funded by state and federal dollars, OCTA also invests in flexible local transportation options through community-based shuttle and trolley programs. Funded in part by Measure M, the county’s voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation, these services are tailored to meet the needs of specific areas where there isn’t demand for 40-foot buses. In the last fiscal year alone, these programs provided over 712,000 boardings and have served more than 4.6 million passengers since launching. These locally responsive services help reduce congestion, improve air quality, and extend the reach of public transit.
Public transportation is not one-size-fits-all, nor should it be. It must be adaptable, fiscally responsible, and aligned with how people live, work, and travel today. At OCTA, we continually evaluate service performance, engage with the communities we serve, and invest in innovations that make the system more reliable, accessible, and sustainable.
As Orange County grows and evolves, so too must our transportation system. Thoughtful conversations about public investments are important — and when it comes to transit, the data clearly shows it continues to be a smart, necessary investment that supports mobility, equity, and quality of life across our region.
Doug Chaffee
Chair, Orange County Transportation Authority
Fourth District County Supervisor
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