Fresno County Rural Transit Agency

Fresno County Rural Transit Agency
ParentFresno Council of Governments
FoundedSeptember 27, 1979; 45 years ago (1979-09-27)
Headquarters2035 Tulare Street, Ste 201
Fresno, California
Service areaFresno County, California
Service typeBus service, Dial-a-Ride
Destinations
Annual ridership266,621 (2020)[1]
Websiteruraltransit.org
System map (2019)

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.

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 

  1. Firebaugh–Mendota–Kerman (implemented as Westside Transit)
  2. Kingsburg–Selma–Fowler (implemented as Southeast Transit)
  3. Orange Cove–Reedley–Parlier–Sanger (implemented as Orange Cove Inter-city Transit)
  4. 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:

FCRTA local operators[2]: III-4, III-6 
Sub-system Scope of operations Operator
Intra-city Inter-city Inter-community
Auberry Transit No Yes[a] DR[b] Yes DR[b] MV Transportation
Coalinga Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[c] FRD[d] No
Del Rey Transit Yes[e] DR[b] No No
Dinuba Transit No No Yes[f] FR[g]
Firebaugh Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[h][i] FRD[d] No
Fowler Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[j] FRD[d] No
Huron Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[c][k] FRD[d] No
Kerman Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[i] FRD[d] No
Kingsburg Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[l][j] FRD[d] No
Laton Transit No Yes[m][n] FR[g] No
Mendota Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[h][i] FRD[d] No
Orange Cove Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[o] FRD[d] No
Parlier Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[o] FRD[d] No
Reedley Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[l][o] FRD[d] No
Rural Transit No No Yes DR[b]
Sanger Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[o][p] FRD[d] No
San Joaquin Transit Yes[q] DR[b] Yes[i] FRD[d] No
Selma Transit Yes DR[b] Yes[j] FRD[d] No
Shuttle Transit Yes[r] No No
Southeast Transit No Yes[j] FRD[d] No
Westside Transit No Yes[i] FRD[d] No
Notes
  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q demand responsive
  3. ^ a b via Coalinga Transit, serving Coalinga, Huron, Five Points, Lanare, Riverdale, Caruthers, Raisin City, Easton, and Fresno
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Fixed route with route deviation
  5. ^ serves Del Rey and Sanger
  6. ^ service to Dinuba and Reedley
  7. ^ a b Fixed route
  8. ^ a b via Firebaugh–Mendota Transit, serving Firebaugh and Mendota
  9. ^ a b c d e via Westside Transit, serving Firebaugh, Mendota, Kerman, and Fresno
  10. ^ a b c d via Southeast Transit, serving Fresno, Fowler, Selma, and Kingsburg
  11. ^ serves Huron, Harris Ranch, I-5/198 Interchange, West Hills College, and Coalinga
  12. ^ a b as Kingsburg–Reedley Transit
  13. ^ via Kings Area Regional Transit, serving Hanford, Grangeville, Hardwick, and Laton
  14. ^ via Inter-County Service, serving Hanford, Laton, Selma, and Fresno
  15. ^ a b c d via Orange Cove Transit, serving Orange Cove, Reedley, Parlier, Sanger, and Fresno
  16. ^ service to Sanger, Parlier, and Reedley
  17. ^ San Joaquin Intercity Transit, serving San Joaquin, Cantua Creek, El Porvenir, Half Way, Tranquility, and Three Rocks
  18. ^ 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 

FCRTA fixed routes[3]
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

  1. ^ "Fresno County Rural Transit Agency 2020 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF). Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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.
  3. ^ "Route Schedules". Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Coalinga Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Huron Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. April 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Kingsburg-Reedley Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. September 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Orange Cove Express Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Orange Cove Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. September 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Sanger Express" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. May 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Southeast Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Westside Inter-City Transit" (PDF). Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. March 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Fares and Passes". Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Retrieved 13 July 2022.