vem_celtis – Valley Express

Emergency shuttle service to operate between Santa Paula and Ojai during State Route 150 closure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2024

Contact:
Darrin Peschka
Program Manager, Government and Community Relations
Ventura County Transportation Commission
dpeschka@goventura.org
(805) 642-1591, ext. 108

CAMARILLO, Calif. – The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) today announced an emergency shuttle service that will operate between Santa Paula and Ojai to help residents affected by the closure of State Route 150.

The temporary shuttle service will begin Wednesday, March 20, and will operate Monday through Friday. The service will be provided at no cost to passengers.

The shuttle service is being offered in coordination with the County of Ventura, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Highway Patrol. The shuttle will be operated by MV Transportation, which also operates the Valley Express bus service in Santa Paula, Fillmore and surrounding unincorporated areas.

Southbound morning and afternoon trips will depart Steckel Park/KOA and will make stops at Thomas Aquinas College, The Summit (Topa Lane), Stonegate Road-Mupu Elementary School and Santa Paula City Hall/Veterans Park. The driver will stop by request (flag stop) at Vons at Highways 33 and 150.

Northbound morning trips will depart Santa Paula City Hall/Veterans Park and will make stops at The Summit (Sisar Road), Thomas Aquinas College and Steckel Park/KOA. Northbound afternoon trips will depart either Stonegate Road-Mupu Elementary School or Santa Paula City Hall/Veterans Park. The driver will stop by request (flag stop) at Vons at Highways 33 and 150.

For more information, passengers may call the Regional Transit Information Center at 800-438-1112.

“We know this closure has been incredibly disruptive to residents who rely on State Route 150 to get to work, school and other important destinations every day. We hope this service will provide some relief to residents who now face transportation challenges because of the closure,” said Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere, who is also chair of VCTC. LaVere represents District 1, which includes Ojai Valley, City of Ojai, Upper Ojai Valley and West Lockwood Valley.

“It is a true hardship when our community members suddenly lose access to a route that connects them to essential services. We appreciate the patience and understanding of residents in the area as our agency partners have worked to establish this shuttle service,” said Ventura County Board of Supervisors Chair Kelly Long, who is also a VCTC commissioner. Long represents District 3, which includes the City of Santa Paula, the City of Fillmore, Piru and East Lockwood Valley.

VCTC Executive Director Martin Erickson said, “The Ventura County Transportation Commission recognizes the critical role of public transit in emergency situations such as the State Route 150 closure. We are grateful to the assistance provided by our county leaders, Caltrans and the CHP that makes this shuttle service possible.”

Through traffic on State Route 150 has been blocked since early February due to a mudslide that covered a large portion of the road. Caltrans and emergency contractors are working to stabilize and clear the mudslide.

About the Ventura County Transportation Commission

The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.

Southbound

					FLAG^
Days:	Stops:	Steckel Park KOA	Thomas Aquinas College	The Summit (Topa Ln.)	Hwy 150 & Hwy 33 (VONS)	Stonegate Rd-Mupu Elementary	SP City Hall- Veterans Park
M-F	AM Trip	6:15 AM	6:18 AM	6:23 AM	* * *	7:39 AM	7:45 AM
M-F	AM Trip	8:45 AM	8:55 AM	9:05 AM	FLAG	***	10:15 AM
M-F	PM Trip	4:50 PM	5:00 PM	5:10 PM	FLAG	***	6:10 PM

Northbound

				FLAG^
Days:	Stops:	Stonegate Rd- Elementary	SP City Hall- Veterans Park	Hwy 150 & Hwy 33 (VONS)	The Summit (Sisar Rd.)	Thomas Aquinas College	Steckel Park KOA
M-F	AM Trip	***	7:00 AM	FLAG	8:00 AM	8:15 AM	8:25 AM
M-F	AM Trip	***	8:15 AM	FLAG r	9:20 AM	9:30 AM	9:40 AM
F	PM Trip	1:00 PM	1:06 PM	FLAG	2:26 PM	2:35 PM	2:40 PM
M-TH	PM Trip	2:40 PM	2:46 PM	FLAG	4:06 PM	4:15 PM	4:20 PM
M-F	PM Trip	***	6:30 PM	FLAG	7:46 PM	7:55 PM	8:00 PM

VCbuspass has arrived. Here are 5 things to know

Posted on June 13, 2022July 21, 2022 by vem_celtis

VCbuspass has arrived. Here are 5 things to know

Bus riders in Ventura County are now able to use a single, touch-free system to pay for fares on any of the county’s regional buses, making it easier to use public transit to travel to work and appointments, to run essential errands and to simply get around.

Here’s what you need to know about VCbuspass.

VCbuspass is a contactless fare collection system that allows passengers to pay for fares on any of eight Ventura County Regional bus systems.
Riders can buy passes online and use them directly from their mobile devices or use a reloadable smartcard when boarding buses. Beginning in November, riders can go into any CVS drugstore to load value onto their account.
The VCbuspass system is powered by Cubic’s Umo Mobility app, which is available for both Android and Apple devices. To begin using the system and to purchase a pass, passengers can download the Umo Mobility app, go to www.goventura.org/vcbuspass or visit a transit pass ticket location.
Passengers may buy 31-day passes for unlimited rides or add “stored value” that lets riders pay as they go.
The VCbuspass system is installed on over 160 vehicles across eight transit operator fleets: Camarillo Area Transit, Gold Coast Transit District, Moorpark City Transit, Ojai Trolley, Simi Valley Transit, Thousand Oaks Transit, Valley Express bus and VCTC Intercity bus service.

To learn more, visit goventura.org/vcbuspass.

“Did you know? You can manage your VCbuspass account by downloading the Umo Mobility app. A few things you can do with the Umo Mobility App: create a VCbuspass account, buy fare products, view transaction history, view the status of passes, initiate fare payments & more!”
pic.twitter.com/ib3YanaC7A
— VCTC (@GoVCTC) October 28, 2021

Welcome to GOVCbus! Real time passenger information for bus riders in Ventura County.

Posted on June 13, 2022July 21, 2022 by vem_celtis

Welcome to GOVCbus! Real time passenger information for bus riders in Ventura County.

Use GOVCbus to find out where Ventura County transit can take you and when your next bus will arrive. You can bookmark your favorite stops, set reminders, get alerts, and plan your trip, all within the app!

App features:

Estimated arrival information
Trip planner
VC Transit Operator information all in one place
Service alerts and notifications
Closest bus stop finder
View bus capacity
Track your bus in real time
Provide comments and feedback

This service is provided by the Ventura County Transportation Commission on behalf of the transit operators of Ventura County: VCTC Intercity, Gold Coast Transit District, Thousand Oaks Transit, Valley Express, Simi Valley Transit, Moorpark City Transit, Ojai Trolley, Kanan Shuttle, and Camarillo Area Transit.

Download the app here for iOS or here for Android! Or use the website GOVCbus

For more information or questions please contact our customer service line at 800-438-1112

VCTC selects new public transit director

Posted on June 3, 2022July 21, 2022 by vem_celtis

VCTC selects new public transit director

The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) has selected Claire Grasty as the agency’s new public transit director. Grasty currently is program manager of regional transit planning at VCTC.

As public transit director, Grasty will oversee all VCTC programs related to public transit operations and planning, including Intercity bus service, Regional Transit Technology and Rideshare, as well as VCTC’s partnerships with regional bus and passenger rail operators and the Regional Transit Information Center.

Grasty succeeds Martin Erickson, who was named executive director of VCTC earlier this year. She was selected after a comprehensive recruitment and interview process. Grasty began her new position June 1.

Grasty joined VCTC in November 2017 as program manager of regional transit planning. In that role, she helped develop the county’s first Transportation Emergency Preparedness Plan (TEPP) after witnessing the significant impacts to transportation brought by the Thomas Fire and subsequent debris flow in Montecito.

More recently, Grasty helped implement Metrolink Saturday Service from Ventura County to downtown Los Angeles and the popular College Ride program, which allows students at any Ventura County college to ride public transit for free. She is responsible for managing multiple VCTC budgets and provides technical support to transit operators throughout Ventura County.

“I am very humbled by this opportunity,” Grasty said. “I’m excited for the future of public transit in Ventura County and to help improve mobility for our community, especially for those who need it most.”

Grasty has more than 12 years of public transit experience. Before joining VCTC, she spent eight years as a planning manager, transit planner and intern at Gold Coast Transit District in Oxnard. She received a bachelor’s degree in community studies from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in public policy from CSU Northridge.

A Ventura County native, Grasty lives in Ventura with her husband and two young children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

“Claire has been an integral part of VCTC’s transit team since joining the organization. She has led multiple key initiatives to provide greater access to public transportation and to encourage the use of carpooling, biking and other rideshare options,” said Executive Director Erickson. “Claire cares deeply about the transit-riding public, and she is dedicated to improving public transportation in Ventura County and across Southern California.”