In an attempt to make up for a $330 million budget shortfall that will occur over the next five years, the Orange County Transportation Authority plans on cutting its bus service by 150,000 hours a year.

Public transportation is a necessary way of getting around for many people, and a cut in bus routes will have a major negative impact on people all around Orange County.

People who use the bus as a primary mode of transportation will obviously be impacted because they will no longer have a way to get around.

They will not be able to get to work, school or medical appointments. If bus riders can’t get to their jobs, they are posed with the problem of quitting their jobs and trying to find work closer to home. The bus is also often the only way for the elderly or those who are too sick and unable to drive to get around.

These people use the bus to run everyday errands, and if their means of transportation is cut, not only are they inconvenienced, but they can become stranded if they have no other way to get to their destinations.

The cuts will also affect employees of OCTA.

Although the proposal did not say specifically that jobs will be cut, it makes sense that if fewer buses will be running at less frequent times, fewer people will be needed to drive these buses, maintain them and organize the routes, meaning a decrease in jobs for OCTA bus drivers, mechanics and dispatchers. Layoffs will have a negative impact because not only will people be losing their jobs, but unemployment rates will rise, which ultimately will have a negative impact on the county as a whole, as more people will be collecting unemployment benefits.

Illustration by Jon Harguindeguy/For the Daily Titan

The bus has been a convenience for Cal State Fullerton students who don’t have a car or cannot afford to purchase a parking pass on campus. According to the OCTA’s proposed Strategy A, Routes 21, 24 and 33, which all run from Fullerton to other Orange County cities, will be eliminated completely.

Students who take these routes will be faced with the challenge of finding new ways to get to school, which can be difficult for those who don’t have cars or simply cannot find a ride to school. This will also have an impact on parking on campus, as more students will be forced to drive to school.

Southern California is already lacking in public transportation when compared to other regions.

Sure, there is the Metrolink, which runs through the greater part of Southern California, but that doesn’t even reach a substantial part of the southwest side of Orange County.

The Metrolink takes travelers from city to city, but it does not go into town. What are travelers supposed to do if they cannot reach their destination because there is not a bus to take them there?

Cutting public services is a bad idea, but unless people speak out about the problem, nothing will be done.

Students and members of the Fullerton community who wish to speak out on the effects of OCTA bus cuts are greatly encouraged to do so or attend board meetings and call board members, tell them how they feel about the situation.

For more information on how to get involved, visit Advocates.TransitRiderOC.com