Sánchez Secures $500,000 For Cerritos on Wheels
July 17, 2003

Washington, DC - Working to improve air quality and commuting in local communities, Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-39) announced that she has secured $500,000 in the Fiscal Year 2004 Transportation Appropriations bill that was approved by the House Appropriations Committee today. The bill is expected to be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives shortly.

Earlier this year, Sánchez made it a priority to meet with officials from every city in the district to discuss their top priorities and projects. At the Cerritos meeting, city leaders told Sánchez they would like her help with funding for Cerritos on Wheels.

“In Southern California, commuting and air pollution affect the daily lives of all residents. These funds will enable Cerritos to begin converting its diesel city buses to newer, larger clean-burning buses. This is a positive step towards improving local air quality, while at the same time making commuting for residents more comfortable,” said Congresswoman Linda Sánchez.

The “Cerritos on Wheels” (COW) local circular bus system currently boards 250,000 people annually and serves the cities of Cerritos, Artesia, Lakewood, Norwalk, Bellflower and La Palma. In addition, Cerritos on Wheels routes link to other Southern California bus lines, including the MTA, Long Beach, Norwalk and Orange County bus services. The new funds will also allow the bus system to serve more residents by increasing the bus seating capacity from 18 passenger to 30 passenger sized buses.

“Especially for residents without access to vehicles, our local bus system provides a vital link to businesses and community services throughout the region. These funds will be of great benefit to the regional transportation network and especially to the hard working people of California’s 39th District who use this bus system on a daily basis,” said Congresswoman Linda Sánchez.