Nearly 26,000 took advantage of special direct bus service offered by OCTA
Aug. 16, 2011
ORANGE – Record numbers of riders hopped on the Orange County Transportation Authority’s OC Fair Express during this year’s special bus service to the fair.
The OC Fair Express provided non-stop direct service from six park and ride lots to the OC Fair, which ended its run Sunday. The weekend buses ran hourly beginning Friday afternoons and ended when the fair closed Sunday nights.
OCTA last offered direct service to the fair in 2008 and ridership totaled 6,161. This year, that number was eclipsed with 25,669 riders. Ridership increased each of the five weekends the service was in operation.
“The success of the OC Fair Express proves its appeal for riders and Orange County residents are willing to leave their cars behind if viable transit options are available,” said OCTA Chair Patricia Bates, also the Fifth District Supervisor. “This was a great partnership with the Orange County Fair and we look forward to many more successful runs. We greatly appreciate the support of MSRC in helping to make this service possible.”
Riders boarded the OC Express for a regular one-way fare of $1.50, where passengers also received a coupon good for $2 admission to the fair. That means for just $5, the public got to and from the fair by avoiding regular admissions and parking fees.
The OC Fair Express was made possible this year in part by a $211,000 grant provided by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, or MSRC. MSRC provides subsidies for cleaner transportation alternatives. In addition to the OC Fair Express, MSRC has also provided grant money for the Angels Express, which is a direct Metrolink service to Angels baseball games in Anaheim.
For more information about the OC Fair Express, visit www.octa.net/ocfairexpress.
