Unmet Needs - Ventura County Transportation Commission
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Unmet Transit Needs
UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS FY 26/27
The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) has begun the Fiscal Year 2026–2027 Unmet Transit Needs review process and is now accepting public input.
The Unmet Transit Needs process provides an opportunity for the public to comment on transit services that are needed or could be improved within Ventura County. All comments received during this cycle will be reviewed and considered as part of VCTC’s annual transit planning process.
Information on public hearings, deadlines, and final findings will be posted to this page as the process moves forward.
Take the Unmet Transit Needs Survey
Download the FY 26/27 Flyer (PDF)
Community Listening Sessions
Join us to share your feedback in person or virtually.
Monday, January 12, 2026
Grant R. Brimhall Library
– 6:00pm
1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Virtual – 12:00pm
Join Meeting (http://bit.ly/4ro6Os0)
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Fillmore Library – 6:00pm
502 2nd St. Fillmore, CA 93015
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Camarillo Library – 6:00pm
4101 Las Posas Road, Camarillo, CA 93010
Public Hearing
Friday, February 6, 2026
Camarillo City Hall – 9:00am
601 Carmen Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010
What is unmet transit needs?
Each year, VCTC staff facilitates a transit needs assessment to determine if additional areas need to be served by public transit in cities with populations of less than 100,000 (Camarillo, Moorpark, Fillmore and Santa Paula plus Thousand Oaks.) The assessment is done before VCTC allows cities to spend Transportation Development Act funds on streets and roads.
An unmet need can be:
Public transit services not currently provided to reach employment, medical assistance, food, clothing, education programs, and social services such as health care or county welfare. Service must be needed by and benefit the general public.
Service expansions including new routes, significant modifications to existing routes and major increases in service hours and frequency.
Submit Comment
How it works
To be considered an unmet transit need, the request must have “substantial” community support, with a threshold of 15 requests for general public service and/or 10 requests for disabled service
and be “reasonable to meet.”
VCTC analyzes all comments submitted to determine if they meet these qualifications. To be considered reasonable to meet, the proposed service:
Cannot cause reductions in existing transit services that have an equal or higher priority
Must be in response to an existing rather than future transit need
Must be able to be provided with the existing fleet or under contract to a private provider (that has additional fleet capacity)
Can safely be provided (there are adequate roadways to accommodate transit vehicles)
Will not unduly affect the operator’s ability to maintain the required passenger fare ratio for its system as a whole
Will meet the scheduled passenger fare ratio standards
Does not have fewer estimated passengers per hour than the system-wide average (after three years)
Additionally, unmet transit needs exclude:
Minor route changes
Bus stop changes
Minor changes to schedules
Service for groups or individuals that will not benefit the general public
Comments about vehicles or facilities
Comments about driver performance or organizational structure
Requests for better coordination
Requests for reduced fares or changes to fare restrictions
Improvements funded or scheduled for implementation the following year
Future transportation needs
Duplication or replacement of existing service
Though the definition of what constitutes an unmet transit need and is reasonable to meet is admittedly narrow, VCTC strives to use the process to solicit feedback from the public for any transit improvements that could benefit the community. All comments received are provided to the appropriate operator and taken under consideration. A number of transit improvements have been made as a result of comments submitted through the unmet transit needs process.
Over the last five years, comments received have led to the following improvements to the transportation network:
Metrolink Saturday service
Extended the Coastal Express route to Camarillo
Multiple bus stop improvements
Began planning for service between Fillmore and Moorpark
Began planning for service to Santa Clarita
The annual unmet transit needs survey and comment period is held from mid-December to mid-February, with community meetings generally held in January and the public hearing the first Friday in February. However, VCTC takes comments year-round and greatly encourages feedback from the public.
Submit Comment
To view publications from the latest Unmet Transit Needs assessment please
click here.
Email:
ridercomments@goventura.org
Phone
: 800.438.1112
Ventura County Transportation Commission
Attn: Transit Planner
TDA Public Hearing
751 E. Daily Dr. Suite #420
Camarillo, CA 93010
Wednesday, January 12th at 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Meeting ID: 864 2099 8329
Passcode: 12345
Thursday, February 3rd at 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Meeting ID: 857 4279 9429
Passcode: 12345
Tuesday, January 25th at 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Meeting ID: 840 0245 7464
Passcode: 12345
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
TBA December 2022
PUBLIC HEARING
TBA December 2022