The Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority (StanRTA) and the City of Turlock (Turlock Transit), the two public transit providers in Stanislaus County, announced that all rides on all fixed-route and commuter buses 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 reduce the use of single-occupant vehicles in an effort to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and countless hours wasted on freeways. Funding for the joint free-ride 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).  The grant excludes Dial-a-Ride and On-Demand services; as a result, free rides are not extended to those services.

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 both the StanRTA and Turlock Transit, as well as through smartphone apps such as Google Maps, the Transit 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.

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.

On July 11, 2023 the Turlock City Council approved Resolution No. 2023-177 which maintained the existing transit fare structure, except for the following changes:

• The qualifying age for discounted fares for fixed route and On-Demand services was lowered from 65 years of age (or greater) to 55 years of age (or greater). This effectively expands access to discounted fares to more people.
• Free fixed route fares for college/university staff, faculty and students was expanded to now include all public education institutions;
• Free and discounted fares were approved for active-duty, active reserve and honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. military:
  • Free fares on fixed route services
  • Discount fares on On-Demand services

Any individual seeking a free or discounted fare should be prepared to present a photo ID if requested by Turlock Transit personnel.

While the operating days and overall span of service will remain the same, there will be adjustments to the fixed route transit schedule which will affect when the buses arrive at designated bus stops. These adjustments were made for the following reasons:

• Traffic Delays. As vehicle traffic on surface streets increase, transit buses are subject to additional delay. These delays make it harder for us to maintain on-time performance, as well as increases the chance for missed transfers at the Transit Center.
• Driver Breaks. All employees, including bus drivers, are entitled to designated breaks, but increased traffic delays make it difficult for drivers to take their designated breaks and still maintain on-time departures from the Transit Center. In turn, late departures can have a domino effect across the schedule and generate a series of late arrival and departures.

The adjusted schedules make the following improvements:

• Adjusted time bands. The length of certain runs during the day have been adjusted to reflect the traffic conditions we are now experiencing on a regular basis, providing additional time when needed.
• Additional down time. Additional time has been added to the schedule at various points throughout the day to ensure drivers have sufficient time to take their mandated breaks.

These changes are expected to improve on-time performance, which should also help improve passenger trust and confidence in the service.