Turlock Transit is moving and grooving so much that they had to shake a few things up! Check out the rest of the post for changes to Turlock Transit fares, Dial-a-Ride reservations, & planned improvements for the future!
Effective July 1, 2017, the City will be adding discounted fare options as follows:
- Military discount. Active duty service members and honorably discharged veterans of the United States military will qualify for discount fares on fixed route services. Service members/veterans would board the bus, provide proof of service, and then be granted a 50% discount off the general fare. Qualifying identification includes a military ID, driver’s license with “veteran” designation, a DD-214 and photo ID, or a membership card to a veterans service organization. The purpose behind this change is to both recognize and honor the sacrifice made by those who served their country, while at the same time attracting new passengers to use fixed route transit.
- Grouped travel. Passengers who travel together on Dial-a-Ride under the same reservation will pay less per person for the trip. A typical one-way trip costs $2.50 per person within the City limits, but if two passengers traveled together, the rate would decrease to $1.50 per person. If three (or more) passengers traveled together, the rate would further decrease to $1.00 per person. This is an innovative way to drive down the cost to the passenger, while at the same time ensuring the City receives the necessary revenue to cover its operating costs for providing the service. The purpose of this change is to make Dial-a-Ride a more affordable and viable option, particularly for seniors on a fixed income, which allows them access to locations not directly served by the fixed route services. Passengers must still qualify to use Dial-a-Ride, which is primarily for seniors (65+ years old) and persons with disabilities.
In addition to new discount fare options, there will also be a change to the Dial-a-Ride reservation hours. Effective July 1, 2017, Dial-a-Ride reservations can be made Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Reservation requests made outside of those hours can be left in a voicemail message for a dispatcher to review the next business day. Callers will receive a call back at that time confirming availability and securing the reservation. There will be no changes to Dial-a-Ride operating hours, which will continue to operate Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
In regards to capital improvements, starting in July the City’s contractor will begin construction of the Turlock Regional Transit Center (Phase II) improvements, which will include a building for dispatch operations and passenger services, a parking lot, and enhancements in the passenger loading area. This work is expected to take a year to complete. Work will be phased in such a matter as to minimize impacts to ongoing transit operations.
Also starting in July, under a different capital project, will be the reconstruction of the intersection at N. Golden State Blvd. and Fulkerth Rd., to include improvements across the railroad tracks. This project will involve a full closure of the intersection for several months, requiring detours for all traffic (including buses). Turlock Transit staff is working to identify detours that are the least impactful to passengers and test them to ensure on-time performance.