Omnitrans (stylized as OmniTrans) is a public transportation agency in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The largest transit operator within San Bernardino County, it serves the San Bernardino Valley.[1] The agency was established in 1976 through a joint powers agreement[1] and today includes 15 cities and portions of the unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. In addition to the southwestern corner of San Bernardino County, Omnitrans provides service to parts of Riverside and Los Angeles Counties. Omnitrans currently carries about 11 million passengers per year. Omnitrans currently operates fixed route bus service, bus rapid transit and a paratransit service for the disabled, “Access.” Omnitrans operates throughout the urbanized area of southwestern San Bernardino County: south of the San Bernardino Mountains, from Upland, Montclair, and Chino in the west to Redlands, California and Yucaipa in the east. The Omnitrans service area covers approximately 480 square miles (1,200 km2).[1]

Omnitrans
ParentOmnitrans Joint Powers Authority
Founded1976[1]
Headquarters1700 West Fifth Street
San Bernardino, California
LocaleSan Bernardino Valley
Service areaSan Bernardino Valley
Service typeBus, Bus rapid transit, Paratransit
Routes28
Stations16 BRT[2]
Fleet157 buses
Daily ridership23,100 (weekdays, Q3 2024)[3]
Annual ridership6,429,000 (2023)[4]
Fuel typeCNG, battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell
Operatortransdev (paratransit only)
Chief executiveErin Rogers[5][6]
Websiteomnitrans.org

In 2023, the system had a ridership of 6,429,000, or about 23,100 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

History

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In October 2019, Omnitrans faced increasing deficits and reduced service. They plan to cut service by 11 percent. They were the operator for the Arrow commuter rail service between San Bernardino and Redlands. the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority Transit Committee voted to transfer the operation and construction duties to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority.[7]

The Transit Committee, announced that it would launch a study considering “complete consolidation” of Omnitrans under the SBCTA due to a $520 million fiscal deficit over the next 20 years.[8][9] However, in 2021, SBCTA decided against the consolidation of Omnitrans due to the results of a commissioned study. That indicated, that due to state law, SBCTA was required to pay off the agency's unfunded pension liability, at a one-time cost of between $100 million to $174 million.[10] Instead SBCTA opted to provide $100 million to Omnitrans to keep it viable through 2040.[11]

Former Services

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Omnitrans formerly operated OmniLink, a demand-response service that operated in Yucaipa and Chino Hills. OmniLink ceased operation 29 August 2014.[12]

Future

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On February 27, 2020 it was announced that Omnitrans placed a new order for four forty-foot, battery-electric Xcelsior CHARGE™ heavy-duty transit buses.[13]

On March 1, 2023 the Omnitrans Board of Directors approved the purchase of four New Flyer Fuel Cell buses[14]

Routes

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Local routes

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Route Terminals Via Divsion/Garage Notes
1 Colton

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

San Bernardino

Lynwood Dr & Victoria Av

Valley Bl, Vernon Av, Pacific St East Valley
2 San Bernardino

Palm Park & Ride

Loma Linda

VA Hospital

Kendall Dr, N St, E St, East Valley
3 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Baseline St, Highland Av East Valley
  • Counter-clockwise route
4 East Valley
  • Clockwise route
6 San Bernardino

Cal State San Bernardino

San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Northpark Bl, Sierra Wy East Valley
8 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Yucaipa

Crafton Hills College

Tippecanoe Av, Redlands Bl, Lugonia Av East Valley
10 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Baseline St East Valley
14 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Foothill Bl East Valley
15 Redlands

Redlands–Downtown Station

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Orange St, Merrill Av East Valley
  • Selected trips serves the Amazon Air Freight Fulfillment Center
  • Serves Citrus Plaza and San Bernardino Transit Center
19 Yucaipa

Yucaipa Transit Center

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Citrus Av, Barton Rd, San Bernardino Av East Valley
  • Serves Crafton Hills College
22 Colton

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

Rialto

Alder Av & Casa Grande Dr

Riverside Av East Valley
61 Pomona

Pomona Transit Center

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Holt Av, San Bernardino Av West Valley
66 Montclair

Montclair Transit Center

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Foothill Bl West Valley
67 Rancho Cucamonga

Chaffey College

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Baseline Rd West Valley • To become route 367 following service changes effective January 2025. [15]
81 Rancho Cucamonga

Chaffey College

Ontario

East Ontario Station

Haven Av West Valley
82 Rancho Cucamonga

Foothill Bl & Day Creek Bl

(weekday only)

Fontana

Summit Av & Lytle Creek Rd

Milliken Av, Jurupa Av, Sierra Wy West Valley
Fontana

Banana Av & Cherry Av

West Valley
83 Chino

Chino Transit Center

Upland

Euclid Av & Foothill Bl

Euclid Av West Valley
84 Chino

Chino Transit Center

Montclair

Montclair Transit Center

Mountain Av West Valley
85 Chino

Chino Transit Center

Rancho Cucamonga

Chaffey College

Central Av, Arrow Hwy, Arrow Rte West Valley
  • Serves Montclair Place and Montclair Transit Center
87 Rancho Cucamonga

Chaffey College

Eastvale

Amazon Eastvale

19th St, Ontario Ranch Rd West Valley
88 Chino Hills

Gran Av & City Center Dr

Montclair

Montclair Transit Center

Ramona Av West Valley
  • Serves Montclair Place

Express routes

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Route Terminals Via Division /Garage Notes
sbX Green Line San Bernardino

Palm Park & Ride

Loma Linda

VA Hospital

Kendall Dr, N St, E St, East Valley
sbX Purple Line Pomona

Pomona Transit Center

Rancho Cucamonga

Victoria Gardens

Holt Bl West Valley
  • Opening in 2025
215 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Riverside

Riverside-Downtown Metrolink (Vine St Mobility Hub)

I-215 East Valley
290 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Montclair

Montclair Transit Center

I-10, I-215 East & West Valley
  • Returning January 6th, 2025

Shuttle routes

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Route Terminals Via Notes
300 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

2nd St
305 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Grand Terrace

Barton Rd & Town Square

Waterman Av
312 San Bernardino

Cal State San Bernardino

Fontana

Fontana Transit Center

Linden Av
319 Yucaipa

Yucaipa Transit Center

5th St, California St
  • South Loop
Bryant St
  • North Loop
380 Rancho Cucamonga

Rancho Cucamonga Station

Ontario

Ontario International Airport

Haven Av

OmniAccess ADA Service

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Access provides public transportation services for persons who are physically or cognitively unable to use regular bus service (ADA certified and/or Omnitrans Disability Identification Card holders). Access operates curb to- curb service with minibuses or vans, complementing the Omnitrans fixed-route bus system. The Access service area is defined as up to 34 mile (1.2 km) on either side of an existing fixed route. Service is available on the same days and at the same times that fixed-route services operate.[2]

Omni Ride

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Omni Ride serves Bloomington, Chino, Chino Hills, and Upland area.[16]

Bus fleet

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Active fleet

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Make/Model Fleet Numbers Thumbnail Year Engine Transmission Notes
New Flyer C40LFR 1201-1227
 
C40LFR
2009 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 6 speed
Cummins Westport L9N
New Flyer XN40 1251-1270
 
Layover
2012 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 6 speed
New Flyer XN40 1281-1296 2014 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 6 speed
New Flyer XN40 1301-1315
 
Fentana
2015 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 6 speed
New Flyer XN40 1321-1333
 
Xcelsior lean
2016 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 6 speed
New Flyer XN40 1341-1364
 
Omnitrans XN40
2017 Cummins Westport ISL G NZ Allison B400R 6 speed
New Flyer XN40 2341-2363
 
2351 rooftop
2018-2019 Cummins Westport L9N Allison B3400 xFE 6 speed
New Flyer XE40 2501-2504
 
Omnitrans New Flyer XE40
2021 Siemens ELFA2 XALT Energy
New Flyer XHE40 3001-3004 2024 Siemens ELFA3 Ballard FCmove-HD Hydrogen Fuel Cell • 3004 was the first unit to enter in service
New Flyer XN60 6001-6014
 
SBX XN60
2012 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B500R 6 speed
  • Used only on sbX Bus Rapid Transit service
New Flyer XN60 6015 2017 Cummins Westport ISL G NZ Allison B500R
  • Used only on sbX Bus Rapid Transit service
New Flyer XE40 6101-6118 2024 Siemens ELFA3 XALT Energy
  • Used only on sbX Bus Rapid Transit service
  • 6101 delivered to East Valley Maintenance Facility as of May 2024.
  • 6102 also delivered to East Valley Maintenance Facility as of May 2024.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "About Omnitrans". Omnitrans. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Transit Services". Omnitrans. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  4. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  5. ^ "Erin Rogers Named Omnitrans CEO and General Manager – OmniTrans". Archived from the original on 2020-07-20. Retrieved 2020-07-20.
  6. ^ "StackPath". 14 July 2020.
  7. ^ Scauzillo, Steve (21 October 2019). "$520 million deficit has Omnitrans eyeing layoffs and bus-line reductions, but is it enough?". The Sun. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  8. ^ "$520 million deficit has Omnitrans eyeing layoffs and bus-line reductions, but is it enough?". 21 October 2019.
  9. ^ "SBCTA Adds New Department to Organization". 9 December 2019.
  10. ^ https://omnitrans.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Item-E3-Attachments-B-C-1.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ Scauzillo, Steve (16 January 2021). "Omnitrans dodges takeover, but endures service cuts and layoffs". Southern California News Group.
  12. ^ "OmniLink service ends in Chino Hills and Yucaipa". Omnitrans. 4 August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  13. ^ "Omnitrans expands California's zero-emission public transit footprint with four new Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses from New Flyer" (Press release). St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA: New Flyer of America Inc. 2020-02-27. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
  14. ^ "Purchase Order MNT23-25 Fuel Cell Bus Purchases". omnitrans.primegov.com. Omnitrans. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Omnitrans | More Service in January". Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  16. ^ "OmniTrans On Demand Ride".
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