San Diego’s newest form of mass transit is off to a slow start. The Metropolitan Transit System South Bay Rapid Bu, has less than half the expected passengers filling the buses from Otay Mesa to downtown San Diego.
Angie Castillo, a resident from National City, is one of the new rapid riders going from National City to the Otay Mesa border crossing.
“I liked it. I liked it from here to Downtown. I loved it,” said Castillo.
She’s one of the 1,700 daily riders embracing rapid. Unfortunately, MTS expected a upwards of 4,500 people a day.
“That’s weird. I see a lot of people here commuting,” said Castillo.
MTS spokesman Rob Schupp said ridership projections were predicted on a lot of things that haven’t happened yet.
He cited several issues with the under-performing rapid. Construction isn’t completed on some stretches of the route and housing projects like Chula Vista’s high-density Millenia development aren’t completed yet.
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“When the densities get built around it to support it, I think they’re going to work,” said Schupp.
Like the trolley, Rapid is connecting downtown San Diego to a busy port of entry. Castillo believes it will get busier.
“It makes it easy for you to commute,” said Castillo.
MTS optimistically expects upwards of 12,000 people to use Rapid every day once construction is finished.
