| North County Transit – San Diego Railroad | |
|---|---|
 | |
_(cropped).jpg) .jpg) _(3x2_crop).jpg) Gallery of NCTD services | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | Northern San Diego County, California |
| Transit type | Buses,commuter rail,light rail,paratransit |
| Number of lines |
|
| Number of stations | 15 light rail stations 8 commuter rail stations |
| Daily ridership | 31,800 (weekdays, Q2 2025)[1] |
| Annual ridership | 8,126,200 (2024)[2] |
| Chief executive | Shawn M. Donaghy |
| Headquarters | Oceanside, CA |
| Website | gonctd |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | September 30, 1975; 50 years ago (1975-09-30)[3] |
North County Transit – San Diego Railroad, previously known as theNorth County Transit District (NCTD), is the agency responsible forpublic transportation inNorthern San Diego County, California. The agency manages theCOASTER commuter rail service betweenOceanside andSan Diego, theSPRINTER hybrid rail service betweenEscondido and Oceanside, the BREEZE transit bus service, LIFT paratransit service, FLEX and NCTD+ on-demand services
Established on September 20, 1975 as the North County Transit Development Board, and later took the name North County Transit District (NCTD). The agency's jurisdiction includes Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Escondido, Fallbrook, Pauma, Valley Center, San Dieguito, and Ramona. The Board would serve as the operator of bus service within the North County area, absorbing the municipal bus systems of Escondido and Oceanside.
North County Transit owns 62 miles (100 km) of mainline railroad track (theSurf Line) from theOrange County/San Diego County line toSanta Fe Depot (used by COASTER,Metrolink, andPacific Surfliner passenger trains along withBNSF Railway freight trains) along with the 22-mile (35 km)[4]Escondido Subdivision (used by the SPRINTER and BNSF freight trains).
North County Transit works closely with theSan Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), which operates public transit services in Southern San Diego County, and theSan Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), which plans, develops, and constructs transit projects for both NCTD and MTS.
As of 2024, North County Transit provides 8,126,200 passenger trips per year, or about 31,800 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2025. North County Transit's geographic area is approximately 1,020 square miles (2,600 km2) with an approximate population of 842,000 people.[5]
The North San Diego County Transit Development Board (NSDCTDB) was established in 1976 by California Senate Bill No. 802 to plan, construct, and operate public transit in North San Diego County.[5] The Board quickly acquired the municipal transit systems operated by the cities of Escondido and Oceanside. The Board also designed a regional transit system consisting of local and regional corridor routes to serve the transportation needs of North San Diego County.
In 1982, planning began for the Coast Express Rail (COASTER) commuter rail service. On June 2, 1994, the Board created a non-profit corporation called the San Diego Northern Railway (SDNR) to maintain, enhance, and operate the COASTER. SDNR purchased the tracks to be used by the COASTER from theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1994; SDNR was later dissolved in 2002. On February 27, 1995, COASTER service commenced.
On January 1, 2003, Senate Bill 1703 was enacted, transferring responsibility for future transit planning, programming, development, and construction to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), San Diego's regional planning agency. In 2005, the State Legislature changed NSDCTDB's name to the North County Transit District (NCTD).
In March 2008, after many years of planning, theSPRINTER hybrid rail service began service. FLEX on-demand service began in 2011.
In fiscal year 2009, NCTD projected annual operating deficits of more than $24 million by 2014. In response, NCTD made proactive changes to maintain transit services and related jobs, including reducing staff and renegotiating and restructuring various contracts. These changes closed a five-year, $80 million budget gap. The new business model also allowed NCTD to lower fares, increase service and ridership, and grow its financial reserves.
NCTD relies on public funding. In 1987, voters approved the Proposition ATransNet Ordinance, which provided funding for future transit projects and improvements to the existing system. In November 2004, voters approved a 40-year extension of theTransNet sales tax, which will allow NCTD to continue to operate service for many years.
In August 2018, NCTD announced that they were seeking public opinions and input on a re-brand of the agency. This included a new COASTER paint livery.[citation needed]
Interactive map of COASTER and SPRINTER
NCTD provides public transit in North San Diego County, from La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean, east to Escondido and Ramona, and from Oceanside and the Orange County border south through Del Mar to UCSD and La Jolla and University Town Center, with connections extending to downtown San Diego. NCTD offers the following services:
The BREEZE Bus Service serves as the main form of public road transportation for residents of North San Diego County. BREEZE service began in 1976 when NCTD acquired the municipal bus systems serving Escondido and Oceanside.
The annual ridership of BREEZE buses is 7.9 million people, with an average weekday ridership of 25,800 people. More than 2,600 bus stops and 9 transit centers service the BREEZE buses. As of April 2025, the fleet comprises 166 vehicles, including 144 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.
In June 2023, NCTD was awarded $29 million to order 23hydrogen-electric buses that will help the agency continue to reach its goal of transforming the entire BREEZE fleet to zero-emissions by 2040. Beginning in 2025, exactly one quarter of BREEZE's fleet will be operated by zero-emission buses; 35 hydrogen-electric buses and 6battery-electric buses.[6]
On October 29, 2024, NCTD officially broke ground on a new hydrogen fueling station at BREEZE's main facility in Oceanside to support hydrogen-electric buses. On that same day, 12 brand newXHE40 buses fromNew Flyer were delivered to NCTD. The total cost of the hydrogen fueling station will be around $8 million.U.S. RepresentativeMike Levin secured $1.72 million for the project through the Fiscal Year 2022 federal appropriations bill, while theCalifornia Energy Commission funded the station with $6 million of their own. Construction of the hydrogen fueling station is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.[7]
In November 2009, NCTD approvedoutsourcing all bus and rail operations effective July 1, 2010, toFirst Transit.[8] The agency anticipated saving $70 million over seven years with the move.[8] Fleet and facility operators remained NCTD employees until their contracts expired June 30, 2011. On June 29, 2025, NCTD brought all functional contracted bus operations back in house, marking the first time in the agency's history that all Bus and Rail operations were managed directly by the authority since insourcing NCTD's rail in 2022.
As of January 2013, NCTD offers 30 BREEZE bus routes plus 4 FLEX zones.[9]
SPRINTER is a 22-mile (35 km)hybrid rail line that runs east and west between Escondido and Oceanside.[4] A total of 455 trains run every week.[4]
The SPRINTER's first day of service was March 9, 2008.[4] The annual ridership was 2.5 million people in 2015,[4] with an average weekday ridership of 8,300 people.[4] Fifteen stations are served by the Sprinter route.[4] SPRINTER equipment includes 12Siemens Desirodiesel multiple unit passenger trains.[4] NCTD also owns a maintenance facility and rail yard for their Sprinter service in Escondido, betweenEscondido Transit Center andNordahl Road station.
The COASTER is a 41-mile (66 km) commuter rail service that runs north and south between Oceanside and Santa Fe Depot inDowntown San Diego.[10] A total of 126 trains run every week,[10] with expanded service offered in the spring and summer and additional trains scheduled for special events as needed.
The COASTER's first day of service was February 27, 1995.[10] The annual ridership is 1.7 million people, with an average weekday ridership of 5,700 people in 2015.[10] The COASTER route serves 8 stations on its route, including the termini atOceanside andSanta Fe Depot in downtown San Diego.[10] Currently, COASTER equipment consists of 7 locomotives and 28 bi-level coaches.[10]
The North County Transit District owns and maintains two rail yards for their COASTER commuter rail service. The first yard is the main maintenance and servicing facility located north of Oceanside at Stuart Mesa onCamp Pendleton, and it is shared withMetrolink and theBNSF Railway's local freight trains (formerly thePacific Sun Railroad). The second yard is shared with theSan Diego Trolley at12th & Imperial Transit Center inDowntown San Diego; this rail yard stores trainsets during mid-days until they're ready to be used again for northbound services.
LIFT vehicles provide origin-to-destination service for people with disabilities who are unable to use BREEZE buses due to their disability and have been certified for eligibility, as required by theAmericans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Service is available for trips within ¾ mile of fixed bus routes.
The LIFT's first day of service was January 1, 1993. The American Logistics Company operates the LIFT.[11]
FLEX is an on-demand service in parts of southwestCarlsbad andRamona, where BREEZE service is not available. FLEX vehicles take passengers anywhere within the FLEX zone or to the nearest transfer point on the BREEZE,COASTER, orSPRINTER. The American Logistics Company operates the FLEX service.[9]
| Route | Terminals | Via | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 371 | Escondido Escondido Transit Center | Ramona Ramona Station | San Pasqual Valley Road |
| 392 | Oceanside Oceanside Transit Center | Camp Pendleton North 14 Area | Vandegrift Boulevard |
| 395 | Camp San Onofre | Stuart Mesa Road, Las Pulgas Canyon Road, Basilone Road | |
On June 10, 2024, NCTD launched five new weekday-only FLEX routes, known as the COASTER Connection. These routes connect theCOASTER'sSorrento Valley station with nearby destinations.[12] Four of the routes replace theMTS'sSorrento Valley COASTER Connection (SVCC) routes,[13] while a fifth (route 471) is a newly established route.[12]
| Route | Terminals | Via | Predecessor underMTS | Annual ridership under MTS (FY 2023)[14] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 471 | Mira Mesa Blvd[12][15] | New route launched June 10, 2024 | ||
| 472 | Lusk Blvd[12][16] | 972[17] | 5,502 | |
| 473 | Sorrento Valley Rd[12][18] | 973[17] | 7,548 | |
| 478 | Genesee Ave[12][19] | 978[17] | 5,222 | |
| 479 | Genesee Ave[12][20] | 974[12] | 6,968 | |
979[12] | 6,295 | |||
A board of directors governs NCTD. The board includes members from Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, Solana Beach, San Marcos, Vista, and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.[21]
NCTD has implemented cutting-edge green initiatives and sustainability programs that minimize the environmental impact of public transit. NCTD recently installed solar panels, saving the agency $1 million in energy costs over five years. NCTD has increased recycling and improved lighting and is using biodegradable cleaning supplies. In addition, NCTD has received grant funding to install electric smart car chargers in transit center parking lots.[5] Additionally, all of NCTD's COASTER vehicles are Tier IV compliant, reducing emissions by nearly 90% compared to Tier I locomotives and are also significantly quieter. NCTD is also leading the way with a changeover to battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in its bus fleet.
All NCTD and relatedSan Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) services utilize the newPronto contactless fare system introduced in September 2021 by INIT Systems andSANDAG; the Pronto system succeeded thefirst-generation Compass Card system."[22] As a replacement for the original "Compass Card," the Pronto fare system allows for a tap-on, tap-off approach through the use of station validators in order to deduct the correct fare; additional measures may need to be taken depending on the service.[23][24] General Pronto cards can be physically purchased at Pronto ticket vending machines within NCTD facilities, or in NCTD customer service centers; electronic versions can be purchased through the website or through the mobile applications.[25]
Both NCTD and MTS services previously utilized the aforementioned contactless "Compass Card", made possible byCubic Transportation Systems, Inc. The "Compass Card" allowed passengers from MTS and NCTD to store regional transit passes and cash value on a rewritableRFID card. Customers would have purchased passes and added cash value on the Internet or at any ticket vending machine. Prior to using a provided service, customers tapped their Compass Cards on the ticket validator located at the transit center or station. TheLED display on the validator would then light up with lights resembling that of a stoplight, and theLCD display showed text regarding the passenger's fare account.[26] The new Pronto system now used expanded upon many of the design concepts previously employed with the Compass Card system.[27]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |