Free bus passes for LTCC students, Ridge Tahoe and Heavenly employees

The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) Board of Directors approved several funding agreements with local entities Friday which will provide free rides for several groups including Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) students, employees and guests of the Ridge Tahoe and associated properties, as well as Heavenly Mountain Resort employees.

The agreement between TTD and Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) to allow current students with a valid Lake Tahoe Community College identification card to ride all local transit services at no charge during the academic year ending June 30, 2018.

“We’re pleased to be moving forward with LTCC to provide students with safe, environmentally positive, and convenient transportation options,” said Carl Hasty, district manager of the Tahoe Transportation District. “Our agreement with LTCC is an example of the public/private partnerships TTD hopes to create while implementing transit solutions that decrease traffic and parking congestion and positively impact the environment. We know more than 70 percent of the pollutants impacting Lake Tahoe’s clarity come from transportation systems and developed area run-off, so we’re glad to be working with LTCC to mitigate these effects.”

Additionally, as part of LTCC’s on-campus transportation hub, there are plans in place for a bus shelter replacement project that leverages TTD’s programmed funding for safety and security improvement projects. The bus shelter replacement project will help maintain seamless architecture and functionality for the provision of public transportation service linking Lake Tahoe Community College with the South Lake Tahoe area.

“A major area of focus for us is removing barriers to access education,” said LTCC superintendent/president Jeff DeFranco. “Our partnership with TTD will help ensure that transportation isn’t an obstacle, which is an important step toward making it easier for students to succeed in higher education. We are thrilled to have TTD’s support for this important service to our students.”

LTCC contributed $36,000 for this service.

During the meeting, the Board also approved a new funding agreement with the Ridge Tahoe Property Owner's Association, where TTD will provide free rides to employees, and guests of the Entity and employees and guests of companies related to the Ridge Tahoe for $158,000 for the next year. That fee will increase five percent annually. Since 2010 there has been an agreement in place with no annual change. The previous annual payments were $140,634.

Since 2010, Heavenly has contributed $850,000 annually to TTD for bus services for their customers and employees. As with the Ridge Tahoe plan there was nothing built into the agreement for increases.

At the same meeting, the two partners entered into a new agreement in which Heavenly pays TTD $950,000 for the 2018 fiscal year with a five percent annual increase after that. The buses link the Heavenly Village Gondola, California Base Lodge, Boulder Lodge, Stagecoach Lodge with other locations. All resort customers and Heavenly employees with a badge or are wearing a uniform get free rides during the winter season.

According to Hasty, none of the funding agreements cover the full costs. These contributions leverage other funds.