Merced County’s ‘The Bus’ returning to normal schedule, after cutting operations
Public transportation in Merced County is slated to return to near-normalcy on Monday with The Bus resuming its regular fixed-route service operations, the Merced County Association of Governments said in a Thursday news release.
The Bus — the single public transportation service provider for all of Merced County — has operated on a weekend schedule since August in an effort to keep both employees and riders safe amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Buses will return to their regular Monday through Friday schedule come Nov. 2, with weekend schedules now only running on the weekend.
“The Bus is grateful for the community’s patience as we have worked through the challenges of the current pandemic,” said Transit Manager Christine Chavez in the release. “We are pleased to be able to resume full transit service and continue to provide efficient public transportation throughout Merced County.”
The change back to typical scheduling comes amid Merced County’s general progress toward increased economic reopening under the state’s pandemic plan.
Still, passengers will notice certain safety precautions against COVID-19 remaining in effect.
Riders of The Bus may be pleased to find that all fares are still suspended on account of the COVID-19 emergency, the release said.
Additionally, the number of passengers riding The Bus will be limited to allow riders to social distance. Individuals will still be required to wear masks, and passengers must remain seated to avoid interactions with other individuals. Passengers are also asked to avoid contact with bus drivers.
As The Bus picks up normal service again, the origin to destination shared-ride service Dial-a-Ride will also continue to provide services during its usual hours to locations in the county’s west side communities, including Los Banos, Dos Palos and Gustine.
Paratransit, which provides curb-to-curb transit service to eligible individuals, service will resume normal operations as well.
Schedules and hours of operation for The Bus can be found at www.mercedthebus.com or by calling (209) 723-3100. Real-time information of bus locations, services and arrival times can be found are available at www.thebuslive.com or via the free The Bus Live mobile app.
All buses are equipped with bike racks and are wheelchair accessible.
This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
