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Manteca Transit’s Dial-a-Ride service will soon go electric
manteca transit
The addition of ACE service will make the downtown center a more complete transit hub.

Manteca Transit’s version of dial-a-ride may be going electric.

The City of Manteca is exploring purchasing smaller electric Ford Transit vans for the service.

It is one of the many changes contemplated for the municipal transit service.

Within the next several years when ACE trains start stopping at the downtown transit center at 220 Moffat Boulevard, routes are expected to be adjusted to time with departures and arrivals.

It means the day is coming when commuters to San Jose — and other points in the Bay Area as well as Sacramento — could walk to the nearest fixed route Manteca Transit bus stop, ride to the station, and board an ACE train.

Currently, Manteca Transit operates two morning shuttles and two afternoon shuttles between the downtown transit center and the Lathrop/Manteca ACE station in West Yosemite Avenue.

For now, the Manteca Transit service continues to build on the success of its free ride service for sixth graders through high school seniors made possible with a state grant.

Students simply show a school ID when boarding. It is good at all times the Manteca Transit buses are operating Monday through Saturday.

Pubic Works Director Carl Brown noted the service is growing in popularity especially among high school students attending Sierra, East Union and Manteca high schools.

Teens also are using it in small but growing numbers to reach the cinemas at Orchard Valley, the bowling alley, fast food stores and other places.

This promotion is being funded through a grant from the California Department of Transportation under the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program – created to provide pay for transit agencies in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improve mobility.

The city owns and maintains six buses. It contracts with a firm to operate the system by providing drivers.

The state is requiring by 2035 that all school and public buses that are put into service after that time are electric. Hence, the decision by the city to start the switch to electric powered passenger vans for the Dial-a-Ride service.

Manteca Transit funding comes primarily from state sources.

For more information about Manteca Transit services, log on to www.MantecaTransit.com or call 209.456.8888.

 

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com