History and Organization RT began operations on April 1, 1973, with the acquisition of the Sacramento Transit Authority. Later that year, RT completed a new maintenance facility and purchased 103 new buses. RT continued to expand bus service to the growing Sacramento region while a cooperative effort emerged among city, county and state government officials to develop a light rail system. In 1987 the 18.3-mile light rail system opened, linking the northeastern (Interstate 80) and eastern (Highway 50) corridors with downtown Sacramento. RT completed its first light rail extension in September 1998 with the opening of the Mather Field/Mills Station. In September 2003, RT opened the first phase of the Blue Line to South Sacramento, a 6.3-mile extension with seven new stations. In June of 2004, light rail was extended from the Mather Field/Mills Station to Sunrise Boulevard with three new stations. On October 15, 2005, light rail was extended 7.3 miles east from the Sunrise Station to the city of Folsom, which included four new stations. In December 2006, RT completed the final segment of the Gold Line (also referred to as the Amtrak/Folsom Corridor) project when it opened the .7-mile light rail extension to Sacramento Valley Station with the addition of two new stations, which connects light rail with Amtrak inter-city and Capitol Corridor rail service as well as local commuter buses. On June 15, 2012, RT opened the Green Line to the River District, which is the first phase of the Green Line to the Airport light rail extension project. The Green Line to the River District extends light rail 1.1 miles north connecting downtown Sacramento to the River District. RT is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors comprised of members of the Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove and Folsom city councils as well as the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. The fiscal year 2014 operating budget is $142.3 million, with a capital budget of $18.6 million. RT employs a work force of approximately 953 (December 2013) people, 77 percent of whom are dedicated to operations and maintenance of the bus and light rail systems. RT operates three maintenance and operations facilities – one for buses at 29th and N Streets, one for the Community Bus Service at McClellan Park, and one for the light rail system at 2700 Academy Way in north Sacramento.
