San Diego

Operating within a challenging atmosphere of constrained funding, the Metropolitan Transit System of San Diego (MTS) serves an ethnically diverse urban and suburban area that is also popular with tourists. Budget limitations compel MTS to examine all options for savings, leverage capital where possible and expand the passenger carrying capacity of existing corridors.

These realities motivated the MTS to move from a model of using multiple contractors to consolidating with Veolia Transportation in 2007. At the same time, the San Diego region has a visionary plan for greatly improved integrated transportation to be accomplished in phases by 2030.

• Cost-effectively continue to improve current service while laying the foundation to achieve the targets of the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan, which will integrate new, multimodal transit services with an improved highway and road network.
• Explore multiple potential funding sources, including public-private partnerships (PPP).
• Continue to find efficiencies in day-to-day operations to offset escalating fuel costs.
• Implement new technology and services to relieve traffic congestion and continue to focus on environmental solutions.

• Identified and implemented multi-million dollar savings through consolidation and streamlining of management and staff.
• Funded and provided 26 new Commuter Express buses to help MTS leverage and extend its capital resources.
• Provided a strong, talented management team with international connections and resources.
• Shared field resources and staff with MTS for improved customer service, greater efficiency and added savings.
• Contributed expertise that enabled MTS to integrate an existing local service into its larger network smoothly and quickly.

• Partnered with MTS to pilot and then implement shoulder operations on freeways during slow traffic conditions, to expand the capacity of the existing infrastructure.
• With both local presence and global expertise, Veolia Transportation is well-positioned to partner with MTS to develop more new transportation solutions.

• Veolia Transportation's commitment to sustainability supports that of MTS.
• Veolia Transportation's operator relief vehicles are high-efficiency gas-electric hybrids.
• Veolia Transportation is a participant in the field testing of a new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle for the City of Chula Vista's Nature Center.