Connecting Communities on the s

By Adam Barth

When Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority (StanRTA) was formed in January 2021, we were excited to meld City of Modesto and Stanislaus County transit services into a cohesive transportation network. We started right away by streamlining fares, retiring the separate Modesto Area Express (MAX) and Stanislaus Regional Transit (StaRT) brands, and establishing a regional identity with “Ride the S.”

In 2022, we launched The S Vision 2032, a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA), to determine the next steps needed to bring a more equitable transit network to fruition. Following a year of engagement with community members, we identified recommendations to support six key themes:

• Making operating days and hours uniform across the service area.

• Creating more hubs throughout the region to reflect rider travel patterns.

• Adding more bus stops and placing them at more frequent intervals.

• Improving messaging and technology under The S brand.

• Expanding city and community partnerships.

• Focusing on growing ridership.

The StanRTA Board approved these recommendations in October 2022, and our team successfully launched the Connecting Communities on The S route and service changes on March 5, 2023.

The service launch added over two hundred new bus stops to limit walks between stops to a maximum of half a mile. In addition, we introduced a new look for route maps and schedules that moved away from thick, cumbersome guides to single-route brochures.

Newly branded information displays with QR codes that take riders to electronic schedules and trip-planning tools were installed at all bus stops in The S system. We also introduced Track the S, a free mobile app to plan, pay for, and track buses in real-time.

Throughout the service area, routes are now almost exclusively bidirectional, traveling both outbound and inbound along the same path with bus stops closely aligned on opposite sides of the street.

In Modesto, we retained high-frequency service along the McHenry Corridor and are moving forward with plans to create a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line there. New fixed routes better serve residents in the south and west portions of the city, while redesigned routes improve access to healthcare and shopping. Specialized services – including Medivan, ACE Commuter, and Modesto and Patterson BART Commuters – continue to connect residents to the Bay Area Monday through Friday.

With so many exciting changes to transit underway, we want to spread the word as much as possible. Members of the community can support local transit by providing employees with bus passes, displaying route and service information, and reminding youth and Modesto Junior College students that they ride for free. Travel training, which provides instruction on how to use The S transit services, is also available through our partners at MOVE Stanislaus.

We are excited to watch Stanislaus County communities get better connected through The S’ improved network in the coming months.