Stanislaus and Merced County Area Transit Agencies Offer Free Rides During December

​MODESTO, CA – The Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority (StanRTA) and the City of Turlock (Turlock Transit), the two primary, public transit providers in Stanislaus County, along with the Transit Joint Powers Authority for Merced County (The Bus) announced that all rides on all transit services will be free for passengers during the month of December as part of a joint free-ride promotion.

​The goal of the free-ride promotion is to encourage the public to try transit and reduce the use of single-occupant vehicles in an effort to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and countless hours wasted on freeways. Funding for the promotion is made possible through transit grant funding, including a grant from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) under the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP).

“We’re thrilled to coordinate with our regional partners to provide a bit of relief to all Stanislaus and Merced County residents this holiday season,” said Adam Barth, StanRTA CEO. “We look forward to showing the public how using public transit can be a positive, cost-effective transportation alternative to single-occupant motor vehicles.”
 
Residents are encouraged to make the most of this free-ride promotion by planning their trips in advance. Trip planning tools are available on the websites of the StanRTA, The Bus, and Turlock Transit, as well as through smartphone apps such as Google Maps, the Transit app, The Bus Live app, or the Track the S app.  These tools make it easy to determine the closest bus stop, the correct route, and in some cases real-time bus arrival information.
 
“Free public transportation during the holidays is an effective way of mitigating traffic congestion, improving air quality, and getting around Stanislaus and Merced counties,” said Wayne York, Transit Manager for the City of Turlock.
 
“We look forward to working with the StanRTA and Turlock Transit in making public transit even easier and more accessible throughout the larger region,” noted Serenity Anderson, Transit Director of The Bus. 
 
For more information on StanRTA and its services, visit www.stanrta.org or call (209) 527-4900. For more information on Turlock Transit and its services, visit www.turlocktransit.com or call (209) 668-5600. All schedules and hours of operation for The Bus can be found at www.mercedthebus.com or by calling (209) 723-3100. 

For more information contact:

April Henderson Potter
Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority
​(209) 424-3187

Mary-Michal Rawling
Transit Joint Powers Authority for Merced County (The Bus)
(209) 723-3153

Wayne York
City of Turlock (Turlock Transit)
​(209) 669-2800