On Tuesday, September 14, 2021, the Turlock City Council approved a resolution reducing the fares for fixed route and Dial-a-Ride services effective October 1, 2021.  These changes include the following highlights:

• No fare increases. All fares were reduced from the rates that were adopted in February 2020 and previously set to take effect on 10/1/21.
• Youth ride for free. Children 18 years of age or younger can ride fixed route services for free.
• Reduced prices for All-Day and 31-Day passes. See chart.
• Single-Trip passes will no longer be sold.  Passengers will instead be able to purchase an All-Day pass, which will be priced to match the Single-Trip pass price.
• Local transfers will no longer be issued.  This is not necessary now that period passes (All-Day pass, 31-Day pass) are used exclusively.
• Regional transfers are still available to Stanislaus Regional Transit (StaRT).

These changes were adopted for a variety of reasons, including:

• Simplifying the fare structure, making it easier to use and administer.
• Ensuring transit remains affordable, particularly when so many riders continue to be negatively impacted financially from the ongoing pandemic.
• Lowering fares help (re)build ridership.
• Providing free fixed route trips for students makes it easier to attend school, as well as makes family trips on transit more affordable.
• Providing affordable door-to-door service through Dial-a-Ride for individuals with disabilities and senior citizens (65  years of age or older).

This week the City of Turlock completed installation of active air purification technology on-board all Turlock Transit buses.  The equipment generates and distributes safe levels of naturally occurring hydroperoxides to actively and continually treat the air and surfaces.  The system has been lab-tested and proven to eliminate >99% of germs, microbes, viruses, and bacteria from the air and on surfaces, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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“We’ve found most of the air treatment products on the market to be either unproven, unreliable, cost prohibitive, or not designed for use in active transit operations,” said Wayne York, Transit Manager.  “We needed a solution that was based on proven technology, easy to install with minimal maintenance requirements, and cost effective to purchase and operate.  We are pleased to have found a viable solution with USSC.”

The Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority (StanRTA) and Turlock Transit announced today that all rides on all fixed route buses will be free for passengers during July 2021 as part of a joint, free ride promotion.  This includes MAX to BART Commuter Express, MAX to ACE Commuter Express, and StaRT’s BART Commuter bus services, but excludes ADA Paratransit, Medivan, and Dial-a-Ride services.  ​

​Funding for the joint, free ride promotion is made possible through a grant from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) under the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP).  The Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) is providing grant management assistance in supporting these activities.

​ “We’re excited to coordinate our efforts with our regional partners to make it easier than ever for all County residents to experience the benefits of transit, particularly for those residents that have never stepped foot on a bus before,” said Wayne York, Transit Manager for Turlock Transit. “We look forward to showing the public how using public transit can be a positive, cost-effective transportation alternative to single-occupant motor vehicles.”

​Starting Thursday, April 1, 2021, and continuing until further notice, the City of Turlock (Turlock Transit) will be providing free, roundtrip service on Dial-a-Ride to passengers seeking a COVID-19 vaccination from authorized vaccination sites.  The purpose of this enhanced service is to remove financial barriers to vaccination, including access by transit-dependent passengers.

Dial-a-Ride is a reservation-based, point-to-point transportation service that operates Monday-Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  While same-day reservation requests may be accommodated, as resources allow, passengers are encouraged to call (209) 668-5600 at least one day in advance to guarantee a reservation.

​Passengers transported to and from vaccination sites will not share a ride with other individuals outside of the passenger’s household.  This service offering is available to all individuals eligible to receive a vaccination, as well as their personal care attendants. Authorized vaccination sites are those community provider networks listed by the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency (http://schsa.org/coronavirus/vaccine) and located within the city of Turlock.