North County Transit - San Diego Railroad took over management of its bus operations Sunday in what officials described as a "major milestone."
NCTD officials said the move "will allow NCTD leadership to provide a more efficient and robust customer experience through BREEZE operations alongside its COASTER and SPRINTER rail services."
The announcement also means the NCTD is formally welcoming 450 employees into its organization. The agency has directly hired the previously contracted employees, officials said.
"Today, we celebrate the first time in 50 years that all of our operations employees are together as part of one world-class team," NCTD Chief Executive Officer Shawn Donaghy said. "Our BREEZE team, along with all of the amazing NCTD employees, have always been the very best of who we are, and we are excited to welcome them home."
In Oceanside and Escondido, the NCTD offers the BREEZE fixed-route bus, the FLEX route, LIFT paratransit and NCTD+ microtransit, out of two bus divisions. The routes make up over 60% of NCTD's total ridership, representing 5 million miles per year across a 1,020-square-mile area, officials said.
COO Lilia Montoya said having in-house bus operations "is a pivotal step" in better customer service.
"This transition allows us to deliver a more consistent, responsive and customer-focused experience, while also creating a warm, welcoming environment for our team members," Montoya said. "By aligning our operations more closely with our agency values, we are investing in both the people who power our service and the communities we serve every day."
Formed 50 years ago, the NCTD began running a small fleet of buses in North County in 1976, concentrating on several fixed routes. In 1995, it launched the COASTER commuter rail service, which it managed but a private firm operated.
The SPRINTER hybrid rail service was added in 2008, also with private contractor operations.
Two years later, the NCTD also chose a private contractor to run its bus lines, to "avoid significant service cuts and retain valued employees," the organization said.
As its fiscal health improved, the NCTD moved toward 100% direct control of its rail service and maintenance in 2022. In 2023, the NCTD also began overseeing track and signal maintenance, and bus routes and maintenance this year, officials said.
