San Joaquin Regional Transit District
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| San Joaquin Regional Transit District | |
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| Locale | Stockton, California |
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| Transit type | Bus |
| System length | San Joaquin County / 1,489 mile2 (3,854 km²) |
| Number of lines | 66 |
| Operator(s) | San Joaquin Regional Transit District Official website |
San Joaquin Regional Transit District (known as "San Joaquin RTD" or simply as RTD) provides bus service to the city of Stockton, California and the surrounding communities of Lodi, Ripon, Thornton, French Camp, Lathrop, Manteca, Tracy, Escalon, and Modesto. San Joaquin RTD operates 365 days a year, providing 41 fixed routes to the Stockton metropolitan area, including Metro Express, RTD’s Bus Rapid Transit service, and four Downtown Trolley routes. 19 RTD Interregional Commuter routes serve Sacramento, the Bay Area, and Dublin/Pleasanton’s BART station, with subscription service available for commuters. Five deviated fixed routes are served by RTD’s Hopper buses connecting Ripon, Escalon, Manteca, Lathrop, Thornton, Woodbridge, French Camp, Morada, and Linden to Stockton, Tracy, and Lodi. 22 Dial-A-Ride buses provide deviated fixed route service for Stockton and the general public countywide. RTD has four Intercity routes connecting Stockton with Lodi, Tracy, Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop, and one fixed route connecting Escalon with Modesto. Total annual ridership for fiscal year 2006 was 4 million trips, and Interregional ridership totaled 319,194 trips (avg. 1,267 per day).
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[edit] History
In 1963, legislative groundwork began for the establishment of a public transit special district in Stockton, and in 1965, the Stockton Metropolitan Transit District (SMTD) began providing service for the residents of Stockton. In late 1979, SMTD moved operations from Grant and Channel Streets to its current Lindsay Street facility. In 1985, SMTD adopted the nickname “SMART.” In 1990, SMART began providing fully accessible fixed route and Dial-A-Ride services for the elderly and persons with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. In 1994, enabling legislation expanded SMART’s service area to the San Joaquin County border, bringing with it a name change to reflect its expansion - San Joaquin Regional Transit District, or SJRTD for short. That same year, SJRTD expanded its Interregional Commuter service to offer additional routes to commuters traveling to the Bay Area and Sacramento. In 2004, SJRTD adopted “San Joaquin RTD” as its new corporate identity and developed a new logo. That same year, RTD introduced low-emission diesel-electric hybrid buses via its “Flower Bus,” with a full-wrap sunflower display designed to complement the slogan “A Breath of Fresh Air.” At the end of 2006, RTD opened the Downtown Transit Center for the public, with a floor for employee offices.
[edit] RTD's Hybrid Buses
In 2006, RTD led a consortium of 11 transit agencies in purchasing 157 GM diesel-electric hybrid buses consisting of eight other California transit authorities, RTC RIDE (formerly Citifare) of Reno, Nevada, and ABQ RIDE of Albuquerque, New Mexico. ABQ RIDE eventually backed out of the consortium, choosing to order buses directly from New Flyer instead. San Joaquin RTD's first low-emission hybrid bus was delivered and introduced into service in 2004. In September 2007, RTD had 33 hybrid buses, representing 30% of its full-size Metro fleet. RTD chose hybrid buses because they use an electric motor and a smaller diesel engine to save fuel and protect the environment. RTD’s low-emission hybrid buses reduce carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and particulate matter (PM) up to 90%, and oxides of nitrogen (Nox) up to 50%.
At the present time RTD has several different configurations of its Gillig Advantage Diesel/Electric Hybrid buses
The 6000 series is currently the buses being operated on RTD's Metro Express Route 40. These buses produced by Gillig have been specifically designed for Bus Rapid Transit. They have a distinctive design that distinguishes them from any the coaches operated by RTD. They have a low floor special design and in the front of the coach the bus is wider allowing for easier access for wheelchair users which are loaded into the coach by a ramp deployed out the front door. Also these buses have a wider rear door allowing entering/exiting on the coach.
The 6200 series is RTD's 29-foot (8.8 m) configuration of the hybrid bus. These buses have one door for entering/exiting.
The 6300 series is RTD's 35-foot (11 m) low floor configuration of the hybrid bus. These buses have dual door access for boarding and alighting.
The 6400 series is RTD's 40-foot (12 m) low floor configuration of the hybrid bus. These buses have dual door access for boarding and alighting.
These hybrid buses are equipped with Continental-Siemens TransitMaster CAD\AVL technology which provides ADA-compliant voice announcement and interior LED destination signs. For passenger and operator safety, the buses are equipped with GE Digital Security cameras. Hybrid bus headsigns are produced by TwinVision. Each hybrid bus is equipped with bike racks for two bikes.
[edit] Metro Express
Metro Express is RTD’s Bus Rapid Transit service, and uses uniquely-branded, low-emission diesel-electric hybrid buses that arrive at their stops every 15 minutes during weekday peak hours and every 30 minutes on weeknights, weekends, and holidays. Metro Express passengers are required to have a valid, pre-paid RTD bus pass or ticket to ride. Fare Vending Machines, located at Metro Express stops and the Downtown Transit Center (DTC), are available for passengers to purchase single ride, 10 ride, 1-day, and 31-day unlimited ride passes before boarding. Metro Express uses the same fare structure and passes as RTD’s regular fixed routes, and passes issued by the Fare Vending Machines can be used on any of RTD’s regular fixed routes.
[edit] The Downtown Transit Center (DTC)
Completed December 2006, the DTC has three off-street bus lanes, two passenger boarding platforms, and a two-story building. Nearly all RTD routes connect at the DTC, which has 20 sheltered, off-street bus stops as well as additional streetside stops on the north and south sides. The DTC building incorporates the façades of three historic buildings (Hart & Thrift, Bower, and Delta) on its front elevation. The first floor of the DTC has a waiting area, public restrooms, and a customer service center where riders can get maps and schedules, purchase fares, and make customer comments. RTD leases 2,100 square feet (200 m²) of retail space for a restaurant on the east end, and a police satellite station provides the DTC with two RTD-contracted police officers. A boardroom available for public meetings occupies the west end of the first floor and RTD administrative offices occupy the rest of the building.
On average, 6,000 people use the DTC each weekday.
