Low Carbon Transit Operations Program

The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) is a program funded by auction proceeds from the California Air Resources Board Cap-and-Trade Program.  LCTOP provides public transportation operating and capital assistance to transit agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility through new and enhanced services.  LCTOP funding comes to the region through an annual formula allocation.  Projects in the region have included:
  • Development of a new Crosstown Express service with RABA (including free fares), 
  • Sunday On-Demand Transit Service Demonstration Project, 
  • Regional Reduced and Free Transit Fare Program,
  • Expansion of the Sunday On-Demand Transit Service to the cities of Anderson and Shasta Lake, and
  • Expansion of rural public transit rider eligibility.

In October 2020, SRTA adopted a policy to guide the selection and prioritization of regional LCTOP projects (see Section 3.27 of SRTA's policies). Those priorities, in order, include:

  1. Specialized and demonstration transit projects approved by the board of directors as part of the Unmet Transit Needs Assessment that seek to increase transit mobility and efficiency while reducing emissions, including any needed capital costs to implement such services; 
  2. Operational projects that increase transit mode share or efficiency; 
  3. Targeted reduced or free fare programs that encourage increased transit ridership;
  4. Replacement or modernization of rolling stock, including replacement of diesel or gas vehicles with hybrid or zero-emission vehicles and the supporting equipment and infrastructure; and 
  5. New zero-emission vehicles and the supporting equipment and infrastructure.

This policy helps the region best achieve LCTOP goals, while also implementing the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy for the Shasta Region.

LCTOP Funding for the Shasta Region (SRTA)

Program FY 14/15 FY 15/16 FY 16/17 FY 17/18 FY 18/19 FY 19/20 FY 20/21
LCTOP $62,657 $187,529 $85,439 $231,865 $329,232 $326,992 $183,165