The Bus offers free rides to Los Banos fair

Merced County’s public transit system, The Bus, will give people in the Los Banos area free rides to the Merced County Spring Fair this week.

Officials in charge of The Bus said the free rides are also a chance for the Los Banos community to try out the system, which will waive fares on routes LB1 and LB2 during the fair, which is Wednesday through Sunday at the Los Banos Fairgrounds, 403 F St.

“The Bus is excited to help local residents and families enjoy the experience of the Spring Fair by offering a free and convenient alternative to driving,” Transit Manager Rich Green said in a news release.

The annual tradition, which locals call “The May Day Fair,” offers livestock competitions featuring children from around the county, live music, junk food and many more sights.

It also offers five nights of entertainment, including the hay squeeze competition, jaripeo ranchero, destruction derbies, and truck and tractor pulls.

Residents who ride The Bus to the Spring Fair can enter to win a free bus pass by asking the bus driver for a “transfer pass” and showing it to the staff at the booth for The Bus at the fairground. Only residents 16 years or older with a valid photo ID are eligible to win. One pass per person.

The Bus also will be giving away one bicycle each day of the fair. To enter to win, visit the fair booth for The Bus and practice using the bike rack featured on buses in the system.

For a full list of fair events, go to www.co.merced.ca.us/springfair.

Schedules and hours of operation for The Bus are at www.mercedthebus.com.

Real-time information regarding bus locations, services and arrival times can be found at www.thebuslive.com. All buses are equipped with bike racks and are wheelchair accessible.

For more information, call The Bus at (209) 723-3100.

This story was originally published April 27, 2015 at 5:12 PM with the headline "The Bus offers free rides to Los Banos fair."