Fresno County Rural Transit Agency
Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) is the primary bus agency providing intra- and inter-city routes for smaller cities and unincorporated rural communities in Fresno County, California since 1979, including Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Reedley, Sanger, San Joaquin, and Selma. FCRTA riders may transfer to Fresno Area Express service within the county seat of Fresno, and FCRTA has additional transfer points connecting to neighboring agencies in Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties, including Clovis Transit Stageline, Kings Area Regional Transit, and Dinuba Connection.
Parent | Fresno Council of Governments | ||
---|---|---|---|
Founded | September 27, 1979 | ||
Headquarters | 2035 Tulare Street, Ste 201 Fresno, California | ||
Service area | Fresno County, California | ||
Service type | Bus service, Dial-a-Ride | ||
Destinations | |||
Annual ridership | 266,621 (2020)[1] | ||
Website | ruraltransit.org | ||
|
History
Fresno County adopted a Regional Transportation Plan in March 1975, which provided a goal of establishing public transit service throughout the county by 1995, including demand responsive service in the small incorporated cities and four inter-city fixed routes:[2]: I-1
- Firebaugh–Mendota–Kerman (implemented as Westside Transit)
- Kingsburg–Selma–Fowler (implemented as Southeast Transit)
- Orange Cove–Reedley–Parlier–Sanger (implemented as Orange Cove Inter-city Transit)
- Coalinga–Huron–Riverdale–Caruthers–Easton (implemented as Coalinga Inter-city Transit)
The Fresno County Rural Transit Agency was formed under a joint powers authority agreement signed on September 27, 1979, by the rural incorporated cities in Fresno County (Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, Mendota, Orange Cove, Reedley, Sanger, San Joaquin, and Selma) and the County of Fresno.[2]: III-1 While FCRTA is the overall operator which is responsible for funding and planning the system, day-to-day operations are delegated to local agencies or their contracted providers.[2]: III-1
Sub-systems
FCRTA's local operations are carried out by the following sub-system operators:
- Notes
- Combined inter-city/inter-community service to Adler Springs, Auberry, New Auberry, Big Sandy Indian Rancheria, Burrough Valley, Cold Springs Indian Rancheria, Friant, Jose Basin, Marshall Station, Meadow Lakes, Mile High, Prather, Sycamore, Table Mountain Indian Rancheria, Tollhouse, and Fresno
- demand responsive
- via Coalinga Transit, serving Coalinga, Huron, Five Points, Lanare, Riverdale, Caruthers, Raisin City, Easton, and Fresno
- Fixed route with route deviation
- serves Del Rey and Sanger
- service to Dinuba and Reedley
- Fixed route
- via Firebaugh–Mendota Transit, serving Firebaugh and Mendota
- via Westside Transit, serving Firebaugh, Mendota, Kerman, and Fresno
- via Southeast Transit, serving Fresno, Fowler, Selma, and Kingsburg
- serves Huron, Harris Ranch, I-5/198 Interchange, West Hills College, and Coalinga
- as Kingsburg–Reedley Transit
- via Kings Area Regional Transit, serving Hanford, Grangeville, Hardwick, and Laton
- via Inter-County Service, serving Hanford, Laton, Selma, and Fresno
- via Orange Cove Transit, serving Orange Cove, Reedley, Parlier, Sanger, and Fresno
- service to Sanger, Parlier, and Reedley
- San Joaquin Intercity Transit, serving San Joaquin, Cantua Creek, El Porvenir, Half Way, Tranquility, and Three Rocks
- Transports passengers from Coalinga, Orange Cove, Southeast, and Westside Transit to employment, education, training, and medical appointments in the Fresno–Clovis Metropolitan Area.[2]: III-19
Governance
FCRTA is governed by a board of directors drawn from elected officials in the cities it serves, in addition to one member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
Services
Virtually all intra-city services are operated on weekdays only as demand responsive services. A few locations offer Saturday intra-city services, including Del Rey, Kingsburg, Reedley, Sanger, and Selma.[2]: III-5 to III-7 Most inter-city and inter-community services operate as deviated fixed routes.[2]: III-5 to III-7
Route name | Terminus | via (Destinations) |
Terminus | Trips | Notes / Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coalinga | Coalinga Courthouse | SR 269, Mount Whitney, SR 41 (Huron, Five Points, Lanare, Riverdale, Caruthers, Raisin City, Easton, Fresno Courthouse Park / FAX) |
Fresno Yosemite International Airport | 1 RT Mon–Fri |
Traditional commute: service to Fresno in AM, returns to Coalinga in PM.[4] |
Huron | West American Bank (Huron) | SR 269, SR 198 (Harris Ranch, I-5/SR 198, Coalinga Hospital, West Hills College) |
Kmart (Coalinga) | 3 RT Mon–Fri |
[5] |
Kingsburg-Reedley | Coffee Pot Bus Shelter (Kingsburg) | SR 99, Manning (Selma, Fowler, Children's Hospital, Parlier) |
Reedley College | 3 RT Mon–Fri |
[6] |
Orange Cove (Express) | Los Amigo Market / Eaton Park (Orange Cove) | Manning, Academy, and Jensen (Reedley, Reedley College, Parlier, Sanger, Sanger Hospital, Fresno Amtrak/Greyhound) |
Fresno Courthouse Park / FAX | 2(+1) RT Mon–Fri |
(+1) Express service with limited stops for traditional commute (to Fresno in AM, return to Orange Cove in PM)[7][8] |
Sanger Express | Sanger Community Center | Goodfellow & Reed | Reedley College | 6 RT Mon–Fri |
[9] |
Southeast | Coffee Pot Bus Shelter (Kingsburg) | SR 99 (Selma, Fowler, Children's Hospital, Fresno Courthouse Park) |
Fresno Amtrak/Greyhound | 3 RT Mon–Fri |
[10] |
Westside | Firebaugh Senior Center | SR 33, Whitesbridge (Mendota, Kerman, Fresno Courthouse Park) |
Fresno Amtrak/Greyhound | 2 RT Mon–Fri |
[11] |
Fares
Fares vary depending on the type of service and distance traveled. Intra-city fares range from free (for qualified individuals) to $0.75, one-way. Inter-city fares range from $0.75 to $6.00, one-way, depending on distance. Some sub-systems offer discounted monthly passes.[12]
Transfers
FCRTA connects to Fresno Area Express on certain inter-city routes at stops in downtown Fresno. Many of the same routes also stop at the Fresno Santa Fe train station, which is a stop for both Amtrak San Joaquins trains and Greyhound Lines bus service.
Fleet
The transit fleet used primarily cutaway passenger vans powered by unleaded gasoline and CNG; in addition, there are several larger (21 to 33 passengers) battery-electric buses from Proterra and BYD.[2]: III-10
References
- "Fresno County Rural Transit Agency 2020 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF). Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- Short Range Transit Plan for the Rural Fresno County Area, 2022–2026 (PDF) (Report). Fresno Council of Governments. May 18, 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Route Schedules". Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- "Coalinga Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Huron Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Kingsburg-Reedley Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. September 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Orange Cove Express Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Orange Cove Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. September 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Sanger Express" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. May 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Southeast Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Westside Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. March 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Fares and Passes". Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
External links
- Official website
- "Fresno County Transportation Guide" (PDF). Fresno Council of Governments. 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- "Fresno County Rural Transit Agency". Canadian Public Transportation Discussion Board wiki.