Additional Service and Safety Precautions Create Safer Transit Environment

As state and county restrictions accelerate to reopen, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) is taking precautions to make the riding experience as safe as possible to welcome many of our customers back to bus and light rail. In preparation, SacRT is adding additional weekday bus service, improving weekday light rail service and expanding three SmaRT Ride service zones to allow customers to safely travel to destinations around the region. This change will partially restore bus and light rail service levels to approximately 80 percent of regular service levels (pre-COVID-19) and allow for social distancing.

The new schedules will take effect on Sunday, June 14 and the new SmaRT Ride zone expansions will begin on Monday, June 15.

The safety, health and well-being of SacRT’s customers and employees has been and continues to be a top priority. SacRT will continue to not only follow best safety practices as set out by the CDC and state, but set the bar by exploring new measures and technologies that will provide a healthier environment for both SacRT riders and employees.

SacRT is fogging and disinfecting buses; light rail trains and facilities, added new seating policies blocking seats to provide more physical distancing; installed protective plexi-glass barriers on each bus near the driver’s seat; urging all riders to wear a mask or face covering; providing employees with personal protective equipment, including masks; adding more light rail train cars during peak commute hours; and urging riders to download ZipPass the free mobile fare app to reduce touchpoints. For more information on all the safety measures SacRT has taken, visit sacrt.com/covid19.

The June 2020 service improvements include expanded light rail service hours during the weekday, earlier start times for most weekday bus routes, additional trips at the end of the route, and/or added frequency during peak hours to better serve riders. Weekend bus service will not be affected. In addition, SacRT will continue to operate a Sunday/holiday schedule on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (except as noted for bus routes 78 and 142).

SacRT will also continue operating most of its peak commuter/express service Monday through Friday (bus routes 102, 103, 106, 107, 109, 113, 129, 134, 161 and 193) and Folsom Stage Line bus service (routes 10 and 30). Note: Route 105 (Elise) and 142 (Airport) will not operate. The Causeway Connection (Route 138) will continue operating with a modified schedule. Visit causewayconnection.com for details.

For a detailed description of the June 2020 service improvements, visit sacrt.com/juneservice or call 916-321-BUSS (2877).

SacRT will continue operating all nine SmaRT Ride on-demand microtransit service areas and will expand three zones to provide improved access to food and other essential travel needs. Those three service area expansions include:

• Franklin-South Sacramento: Adding service to cover areas in Oak Park, switching to corner-to-corner service and adding zero emission electric shuttles to the fleet.
• North Sacramento: Adding service to shopping centers in the Natomas area.
• Rancho Cordova: Expanding the service area to include Lincoln Village and switching to corner-to-corner service.

In addition, SacRT will begin operating paratransit service in-house effective Sunday, June 28, 2020. The new service will be called SacRT GO Paratransit Services. The only change to the ADA paratransit service is that SacRT will operate the service directly instead of contracting it out. SacRT’s ADA paratransit service team will include many of the same drivers and reservationists that are currently operating the service. SacRT GO service levels will not change and fares will not increase. More information on the transition of paratransit services to SacRT is available at sacrtgo.com.