MSRC member and former Chair Greg Winterbottom helped cut the ribbon at a recent celebration to kick-off the new La Habra Express Bus service made possible in part thanks to Clean Transportation Funding from the MSRC which helped pay for the new 23-seat CNG-fueled buses. La Habra Council Member and MSRC Alternate Tim Shaw also was on-hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The La Habra Express, a new circulator bus service in La Habra operated by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), began service on August 4th. The pilot service was also funded by a grant from OCTA to the city under the “Project V Community-Based Transit/Circulators Funding Program.” As an incentive to encourage ridership, the city held a “Ride Week Free” campaign during the week of August 4th through August 8th.
The Ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration drew nearly 100 community leaders and members of the public. City of La Habra Mayor Tom Beamish emceed the program that also featured Sarah Catz, former OCTA Board member, Mark Sturdevant, President/CEO, La Habra Chamber of Commerce, and OCTA Deputy CEO Ken Phipps. In his remarks, MSRC Member Greg Winterbottom said that he was so pleased that Clean Transportation Funding from the MSRC could leverage the significant OCTA and local support for the project to help make the new bus service a reality for the City of La Habra. Sturdevant noted that the new bus service will directly serve many of the local 
businesses in La Habra and will make it easier for residents to patronize the retailers and restaurants throughout the city. Mayor Beamish added that the bus service was truly the result of a remarkable collaboration with unanimous support from the City Council, OCTA and additional funding from the MSRC.
The new bus service connects key activity centers in La Habra by operating Monday through Friday between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and provides additional mobility for regional commuters. One route will operate within the city, traveling along major commercial corridors. A second line will travel along most of the same loop, but also extend south into Fullerton with stops at the St. Jude Medical Center and the Fullerton Transportation Center. The regular cost of an OCTA Boarding is $2, but through a subsidy from the City of La Habra, each boarding will cost $1. To learn more, visit www.goplacesseefaces.com