Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Encyclopedia
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) is both the transit authority and the transportation-planning agency for Southern Nevada. As the Las Vegas Valley’s population continues to increase daily, so too does traffic congestion and the RTC identifies transportation challenges and explores and implements both short and long-term resolutions while simultaneously promoting sustainability, air quality improvement, enhanced mobility and increased quality of life in the region.
The RTC also administers programs that encourage sustainability, such as Club Ride Commuter Services that promotes walking, biking, carpooling, vanpooling and taking transit to and from work. As a public agency, the RTC has a great responsibility to the community and therefore recruits and retains only the best and brightest people in the industry. RTC representatives are motivated to achieve excellence and strengthen the agency’s community investment by striving to attain key objectives.
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) transit fleet consists of 36 routes served by 379 vehicles. In 2009, RTC Transit carried 57,738,930 passengers in the greater Las Vegas Valley. RTC Transit consists of 35 fixed route service routes, Las Vegas Strip service routes such as The Deuce, Gold Line and commuter services such as the Express.
Reliability is an important component for both transit riders and the RTC and our on-time record happens to be one of the best in the country. In 2007, the RTC’s average on-time performance was 95.9-percent. On-time performance is based on the RTC's measurements of nearly 6.5-million time point departures throughout the Las Vegas Valley. By responding to the data gathered from these time points, in the last 12 months we’ve been able to improve reliability by twenty-five percent.
The RTC also provides a commuter service that transports passengers from the Centennial Hills Transit Center and Park & Ride in the northwest, to downtown, the Strip and ends at UNLV in the southeast.
The bus rapid transit system is the RTC's showcase transportation initiative for the Las Vegas Valley. Every aspect of its function and design challenges what riders think about mass transit.
The sleek Street Car RTV vehicles travel in dedicated lanes where possible with less frequent stops than fixed-route transit, enabling the service to change routes based on traffic patterns and move passengers longer distances in a shorter time period than fixed-route bus service.
Paralleling Las Vegas’ world-class attractions, the bus rapid transit system is a seamless network of links throughout the Valley to various connection points of other transportation lines with more frequent stops and will have many rail-like features such as level platform boarding and multiple doors for easy loading. Riders wait at new, comfortable, and modern shelters that will compliment the bus rapid transit experience. To help reduce wait times, you are able to purchase a Transit Pass off of the vehicle. This new rapid transit system has the appearance and feel of a light rail transit network at a considerably lower cost.
The MPO oversees the federally mandated transportation planning process for Southern Nevada and plans the Valley’s roadways and transit infrastructure to accommodate the demands of the region’s current population in addition to that of 50 years from now. Included in the MPO planning process are projects that require state and federal funding. Additionally, the RTC also manages distribution of funds from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Highway Trust Fund, the County Option Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax for regional, street and highway construction and county sales tax designated for transportation.
RTC goals
- Implement and update transportation systems that improve air quality;
- Research and develop full-integrated transit options:
- Incorporate transit system maps into regular geographic details;
- Secure funding for expansion, operation and maintenance of systems and routes;
- And increase public awareness and support of the RTC system.
The RTC also administers programs that encourage sustainability, such as Club Ride Commuter Services that promotes walking, biking, carpooling, vanpooling and taking transit to and from work. As a public agency, the RTC has a great responsibility to the community and therefore recruits and retains only the best and brightest people in the industry. RTC representatives are motivated to achieve excellence and strengthen the agency’s community investment by striving to attain key objectives.
RTC Transit
In 1983, state legislation deemed the agency capable of owning and operating a public mass transit system that today carries more than 64 million riders per year and expands as needed with careful planning to better serve the Las Vegas Valley.The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) transit fleet consists of 36 routes served by 379 vehicles. In 2009, RTC Transit carried 57,738,930 passengers in the greater Las Vegas Valley. RTC Transit consists of 35 fixed route service routes, Las Vegas Strip service routes such as The Deuce, Gold Line and commuter services such as the Express.
Services provided
- RTC Transit - All public transportation routes available to the public.
- RTC Paratransit - Shared-ride, program for those who are functionally unable to use the RTC's fixed-route system.
- SIlverSTAR & FDR - A service designed with senior citizens in mind with stops at senior community centers and areas.
- Mobility Training - One-on-one or group training program to help people with disabilities learn to use transit.
- Bike & Ride - Learn how to use your bicycle and transit together.
- Transit Centers and Park & Ride Facilities - Conveniently located transit centers and park & ride facilities to help you get around with transit.
- Transit Ambassadors - Ambassadors along Las Vegas Blvd. answering questions for transit riders who may be new or just have a question about transit.
- Heading to McCarran Airport? RTC Transit services to and from McCarran International Airport.
Reliability and efficiency
How long does it take you to plan a trip? Imagine planning 1.4 million trips a year! The RTC's Transit Department does just that with amazing results. As our roads become more congested and the price of gas continues to break records, riders have even more reasons to take transit as an alternative to driving alone when they consider a recent report on our on-time performance.Reliability is an important component for both transit riders and the RTC and our on-time record happens to be one of the best in the country. In 2007, the RTC’s average on-time performance was 95.9-percent. On-time performance is based on the RTC's measurements of nearly 6.5-million time point departures throughout the Las Vegas Valley. By responding to the data gathered from these time points, in the last 12 months we’ve been able to improve reliability by twenty-five percent.
RTC Rapid Transit and RTC Commuter Services
In response to the ever increasing demand for faster service along the Las Vegas Valley's busiest roads, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) has introduced the Gold Line that connects Downtown Las Vegas to the Las Vegas, Convention Center and the Las Vegas Strip.The RTC also provides a commuter service that transports passengers from the Centennial Hills Transit Center and Park & Ride in the northwest, to downtown, the Strip and ends at UNLV in the southeast.
The bus rapid transit system is the RTC's showcase transportation initiative for the Las Vegas Valley. Every aspect of its function and design challenges what riders think about mass transit.
The sleek Street Car RTV vehicles travel in dedicated lanes where possible with less frequent stops than fixed-route transit, enabling the service to change routes based on traffic patterns and move passengers longer distances in a shorter time period than fixed-route bus service.
Paralleling Las Vegas’ world-class attractions, the bus rapid transit system is a seamless network of links throughout the Valley to various connection points of other transportation lines with more frequent stops and will have many rail-like features such as level platform boarding and multiple doors for easy loading. Riders wait at new, comfortable, and modern shelters that will compliment the bus rapid transit experience. To help reduce wait times, you are able to purchase a Transit Pass off of the vehicle. This new rapid transit system has the appearance and feel of a light rail transit network at a considerably lower cost.
RTC Metropolitan Planning Organization'
The regional government agency originated from a 1965 state statute and 16 years later, in 1981, the RTC was named the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Southern Nevada. As the region’s MPO, the agency is responsible to state and federal governments for maintaining a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive (3-C) transportation planning process ensuring that transit plans and programs involve public input and recommendations and conform to approved air quality standards.The MPO oversees the federally mandated transportation planning process for Southern Nevada and plans the Valley’s roadways and transit infrastructure to accommodate the demands of the region’s current population in addition to that of 50 years from now. Included in the MPO planning process are projects that require state and federal funding. Additionally, the RTC also manages distribution of funds from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal Highway Trust Fund, the County Option Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax for regional, street and highway construction and county sales tax designated for transportation.