Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) received the 2007 Small Operator Transit Excellence Award from the California Transit Association (CTA) Monday afternoon. The award recognizes innovation, a program or service, which demonstrates innovative concepts, effective problem-solving techniques or promotes a positive image of transit in the community.

Monterey-Salinas Transit’s “outstanding innovation in funding transit services through public/private partnership programs” for Line 24 Carmel Valley Grapevine Express took the prize.

Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) initiated the Carmel Valley Grapevine Express as a public-private partnership of the local Competitive Clusters: C2 program sponsored by the Monterey County Office of Economic Development and the Monterey County Business Council. With a new brand identity, logo, tagline (“A new way to “taste” Carmel Valley”) brochure and publicity efforts, MST transformed an existing transit line (Line 24 Carmel Valley) with limited service hours of operation and a forced transfer into an hourly transit line with non-stop trips between Monterey and Carmel Valley. MST’s Grapevine Express assists visitors and locals alike with an opportunity to enjoy the many wine tasting venues, shops, restaurants, art galleries and other amenities available in Carmel Valley and at other stops along the route. Through the Grapevine Express, MST provides an alternative transportation mode so that these individuals would not have to drive their cars on congested, two-lane Carmel Valley Road, thereby removing potentially alcohol-impaired drivers from the highway. In addition, the increased frequency and connectivity benefits Carmel Valley residents, who now have more direct service more times a day to work, school, shopping and recreation in Monterey without having to transfer as often.

The Grapevine Express has the potential to serve as a model for other transit agencies as they look for ways to partner with local businesses to more safely accommodate the ever-increasing wine-oriented tourism industry. The problems that the Grapevine Express addresses can be found in communities around the state, including drunk drivers, congested roadways and auto emissions in environmentally sensitive and/or rural areas. This type of public transit service could be implemented as a traffic mitigation measure along other wine corridors or as a condition of developing wine corridors/tasting rooms. This service is also designed to encourage visitors to stay in Monterey County for an additional night to partake in a day-long wine tasting excursion, thereby spending more dollars in the local economy and paying more taxes, which flow back to the public transit operator and local governments – an innovative, non-traditional revenue source for these cash-strapped agencies. It also is a way to transcend public image barriers common to many transit agencies of “just being the bus company.”

MST’s Carmel Valley Grapevine Express operates every day of the week departing hourly from Cannery Row and Downtown Monterey from approximately 11 am until 6 pm. A $4.50 all-day pass ($2.25 for persons 65+ or with disabilities) enables customers to take unlimited rides along the route throughout the day stopping at the nearly 15 tasting rooms to enjoy fine wine, delicious food and unique shopping.

For more information call Monterey-Salinas Transit toll free at 1-888-MST-BUS1.