This week, the San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) kicks off a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Express route along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard (MLK) in Stockton. From July 29 through August 4, passengers can ride this new route for FREE.
Route 49 begins along the MLK Corridor in south Stockton between East Eighth Street and East Mariposa Road in the east and ends at Edison High School in the west. Local weekend Route 715 will be altered to coordinate with the new BRT service.
The route will be using hybrid-electric buses initially and later in the year will be converting to all-electric, zero-emission buses as the Union Transfer Station is completed.
“Offering Bus Rapid Transit in this area is a significant service improvement,” said RTD CEO Donna DeMartino. “Not only will travel time by bus from Edison High School to Delta College be reduced to as little as 40 minutes, but there is also no need to search for a parking space upon arrival.”
“We are excited to see the lives of the traveling public improve as access to vital services, products, and jobs increase. We are grateful for funding from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the California State Transportation Administration (CalSTA), the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), and of course Senate Bill 1, which helps us deliver on our commitment to extraordinary customer service.”
RTD Transit Ambassadors, Customer Engagement staff, social media pages, and signs at bus stops will help passengers navigate the new route. Key changes are explained on RTD’s website: http://sanjoaquinrtd.com/service-changes/
SJCOG Newsroom 