Kern Transit
 | |
| Parent | Kern County Roads Department |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | 2700 M Street |
| Locale | Bakersfield, California |
| Service area | Kern County, California |
| Service type | bus service |
| Routes | 17 |
| Hubs |
Bakersfield, Frazier Park, Lake Isabella, Mojave |
| Annual ridership | 513,000 (2010) |
| Fuel type | CNG, Desiel |
| Website | |
Kern Transit is the operator of mass transportation in Kern County, California. Primarily, it provides inter-regional transportation, connecting outlying regions with the City of Bakersfield (and with each other with a transfer in Bakersfield). It also provides inter-city transportation within specific regions.[1] Kern Regional Transit is operated by the Kern County Department of Roads. The agency was founded in 1981. Its headquarters is located in Bakersfield.
Routes
Originate in Bakersfield
| Route Name | Terminals | Communities Served | Connecting Services* | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arvin/Lamont/Bakersfield Route | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
City Hall Arvin |
Arvin, Bakersfield, Lamont |
| |
| Buttonwillow Route | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
Senior Center Buttonwillow |
Bakersfield, Buttonwillow |
| |
| East Kern Express | Amtrak Station Bakersfield |
Wal-Mart Lancaster |
Bakersfield, Keene, Lancaster, Mojave, Rosamond, Tehachapi |
| |
| Edison/Bakersfield Route | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
Bus Shelter Edison |
Bakersfield, Edison |
| |
| Frazier Park/Bakersfield Route | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
Post Office Frazier Park |
Bakersfield, Frazier Park, Lebec |
| |
| Lake Isabella/Bakersfield Route | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
Veteran's Hall/Senior Center Lake Isabella |
Bakersfield, Lake Isabella |
| |
| Lost Hills/Bakersfield Route | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
Post Office Lost Hills |
Bakersfield, California, Lost Hills, Shafter, Wasco |
| |
| North Kern Express | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield |
Ranch Market Delano |
Bakersfield, Delano, McFarland, Shafter, Wasco |
| |
| Westside Express | Amtrak Station Bakersfield |
Jefferson School Taft |
Bakersfield, Taft |
| |
* All routes connect with Golden Empire Transit
Other routes
| Route Name | Terminals | Communities Served | Connecting Services | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boron/Mojave Route | Inyo St & Hwy 14 Mojave |
Chaparral Ave & Borax Blvd Boron |
Boron, Mojave, North Edwards |
| |
| Frazier Park Community Fixed | Clinica Sierra Vista Frazier Park |
Pine Mountain Club | Frazier Park, Lake of the Woods, Lebec, Pine Mountain Club, Pinon Pines Estates |
| |
| Kern River Valley | Valley View & Sierra Way Kernville |
Easy St & Hwy 178 Onyx |
Bodfish, Kernville, Lake Isabella, Mountain Mesa, Onyx, South Lake, Weldon, Wofford Heights |
| |
| Lamont/Weedpatch Route | Main St & Panama Rd Lamont |
Sunset Blvd & Vineland Rd Weedpatch |
Lamont, Weedpatch |
| |
| Mojave/California City Route | DHS/Career Services Center Mojave |
Faststop California City |
California City, Mojave |
| |
| Mojave/Ridgecrest Route | Inyo St & Hwy 14 Mojave |
City Hall Ridgecrest |
California City, Inyokern, Mojave, Ridgecrest |
| |
Hubs and connecting services
Bakersfield is the central hub for the inter-regional routes. Buses stop at the Downtown Transit Center (operated by Golden Empire Transit), or the Bakersfield Amtrak Station which is also located downtown, or both. Bus bays are used at the Amtrak Station, while none are available at the Transit Center. Buses instead park on Chester Avenue, in front of it. Depending on the route, Kern Regional Transit makes additional stops in Bakersfield, but are generally used either to board or discharge passengers (depending on the direction the bus is traveling).
Additional hubs are located in Frazier Park, Lake Isabella, and Mojave. Passengers transfer from inter-regional routes to inter-city routes that serve the specific region. Many of these routes were requested and funded by local governments, instead of operating their own transit system.
Some local governments have funded their own public transportation system, instead of relying on Kern Regional Transit. These include Arvin (Arvin Transit), Delano (Delano Area Rapid Transit), and Taft (Taft Area Transit). In addition, Shafter and Wasco provide their own Dial-a-ride service, which serves their communities.
Fare and schedule
Because of the variety of distances traveled, fares vary widely. As of 2011, a one-way trip can cost between $0.75 on the Mojave-Ridgecrest Route,[2] to $5.00 on the East Kern Express (traveling from Bakersfield to Lancaster).[3]
Operating days also vary greatly depending on the route. Most of the long distance inter-regional routes run 6 or 7 days a week. Shorter regional routes mostly run 1, 2, or 3 days a week. However, some run 6 or 7 days a week.
Fleet
Because of the wide variety of demand for service in various areas, Kern Regional Transit uses a variety of vehicles. Bus fleet consist of 40-foot, 30-foot, and 21-foot buses which are used on scheduled routes depending on the number of riders.
All buses are equipped with wheelchair ramps, and offer bicycle racks. A portion of the fleet runs on compressed natural gas. The paint scheme is white, with "Regional Transit" is large letter in the center, on all sides. On the sides, a small "Kern Regional Transit" logo is directly in front of "Regional Transit", with the slogan "...your county connection" directly behind. Changeable signs, which list the destination city, are only on the front and left side of the bus.
Maintenance facility
The Maintenance Facility is located on Victor Street, just south of Olive Drive in Northwest Bakersfield. It contains parking for the entire fleet, shops, bus wash, and cleaning facilities. The facility does not contain the headquarters for the agency. That is located in the Public Services Building on "M" Street.
References
- ↑ . Kern County Department of Roads. Accessed: 08-04-2014.
- ↑ Mojave-Ridgecrest Route Schedule. Kern Regional Transit. Effective: August 8, 2011. Accessed: 11-28-2011.
- ↑ East Kern Express Route Schedule. Kern Regional Transit. Effective: June 3, 2007. Accessed: 11-28-2011.