The Bus making temporary changes to Merced County service schedule due to COVID-19

The Bus will be making temporary schedule changes starting on Monday, according to the Merced County Association of Governments.

The Bus will be moving to a weekend schedule every day of the week starting on Aug. 17, due to the impact of COVID-19, according to a news release.

The new schedule will apply to all fixed-routes in the county. The UC Merced route will not change.

According to The Bus, masks are required to be worn by riders and all fares continue to be suspended due to the COVID-19 emergency. The temporary reduction in service will continue until further notice and operational capacity will be assessed on a weekly basis.

According to the news release, The Bus has experienced a 45% decrease in riders from this time last year.

“We are fortunate that we have been able to avoid changes to our service levels for the past five months for our passengers who depend on The Bus to access essential jobs and services,” said Merced County Association of Governments Transit Manager Christine Chavez in the release.

“It has now reached a point where we are seeing significant impacts to The Bus’ operations, maintenance, and ridership levels and we have to respond accordingly.”

Paratransit services will continue as normal and the Dial-a-Ride service will be provided to those in need of it from 6-8 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday through Friday when fixed-route services are not operating, according to the release.

Customers who wish to receive assistance with trip planning and making reservations for Dial-a Ride, can do so by calling customer service at 800-345-3111.

Information on bus schedules and hours of operation can be found on The Bus’ website, or by calling 209-723-3100. Real-time information about bus locations, arrival times and services can be found by downloading a free The Bus Live application or at www.thebuslive.com.

The Bus asks passengers to only use the service to provide or receive essential services and to wear a mask and comply with social distancing requirements.

This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 6:00 AM.