Redwood Coast Transit keeps winter schedule, cuts summer service options

Public transit riders on the North Coast are heading into summer with fewer options between Del Norte and Humboldt counties after Redwood Coast Transit Authority voted May 27 to keep its winter schedule in place through September 2026. The change hits the Route 20 corridor, the line that links Smith River, Crescent City and Eureka and serves as a regional lifeline for work trips, medical appointments, errands and other essential travel.

The board took up the item at its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the County Admin/Flynn Building, 981 H Street in Crescent City. The agenda called the action “Approve Continuation of Winter Schedule Through September 2026,” signaling that the agency is holding service levels down rather than moving into a fuller summer timetable.

RCTA’s board packet said the agency has “found itself in an operating deficit due to the untimely drop in State Transit Assistance funding, combined with stagnant (population-based) TDA funds, and rising operating costs (labor, fuel, insurance).” The cutback is meant to contain expenses, but it also means travelers who depend on the bus between Humboldt County and Del Norte County will have fewer choices this summer.

Route 20 is one of the region’s most important connectors. RCTA describes it as “Smith River / Crescent City / Eureka” and says it provides local service and seamless regional travel as part of North State Express Route 101, which extends to Santa Rosa. That makes the schedule change more than a minor timetable adjustment. For riders without a car, especially seniors, lower-income residents and people traveling for medical care, each lost trip can mean a missed appointment, a longer wait, or an extra connection.

The agency did not say it was eliminating Route 20, but the decision shows a tighter operating posture as RCTA works through a budget squeeze. At the same time, the board packet also listed a $1.58 million TIRCP Cycle 8 grant application for replacement electric dial-a-ride buses and a bus wash system, underscoring the split between long-term capital planning and immediate service pressure.

RCTA’s board is generally scheduled to meet every other month, though the agency says that calendar is under review and subject to change. The next meeting was set for Monday, June 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at Flynn, where riders and local officials will be watching whether the summer cutback is a short-term fix or a sign of deeper instability in North Coast transit.