Omnitrans Launches New Freeway Express Route by Wendy Williams - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events

Omnitrans Launches New Freeway Express Route

By Wendy Williams , Community Writer
September 11, 2015 at 11:57am. Views: 294

A new express bus route traveling on the I-10 freeway is among the many service improvements Omnitrans rolled out on Tuesday, Sept. 8. More than half of Omnitrans bus routes will be realigned in an effort to simplify the route network and reduce travel times. “Our most frequent customer request in recent years was for express service on the 10 freeway,” said Service Planning Manager Jeremiah Bryant. “Route 290 cuts travel time in half compared to local bus routes.” The new express route provides weekday, peak-hour service between Montclair and San Bernardino with stops at Ontario Mills and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton. Omnitrans is free rides on Route 290 during the first week, Sept. 8 through 11. “We are also introducing free Wi-Fi on our two freeway express routes as a customer benefit,” said Director of Marketing and Planning Wendy Williams. Along with the new Route 290 serving the 10 freeway, Omnitrans operates Route 215 on the 215/91 corridor connecting San Bernardino and Riverside. Wi-Fi service is already available on the agency’s sbX bus rapid transit line. West of the I-15 freeway, Omnitrans is realigning nine north-south bus routes to improve directness of travel and minimize the number of transfers customers must make to complete their journey. For example, new Route 81 will run the length of Haven Avenue between Riverside Drive in Ontario to Chaffey College in north Rancho Cucamonga. Previously three separate routes served the corridor. Four routes instead of three will serve the Chaffey College main campus in Rancho Cucamonga. Chaffey College students generate over a half million trips annually. As part of the “GoSmart” program, registration fees allow students to ride Omnitrans free with their college ID cards. To streamline access to the new San Bernardino Transit Center (SBTC) located on Rialto Avenue between E and F Streets, 11 east valley bus routes were also adjusted on Sept. 8. The center is adjacent to the sbX rapid transit line on E Street. “Prior to the SBTC opening, customers had to walk about four blocks from our primary downtown transfer location to the nearest sbX station,” explained Williams. Due to this improved connectivity, weekday frequency on local Route 2, which shadows the sbX line, will be scaled back from every 30 minutes to hourly. Neighboring transit agencies, Mountain Transit and Victor Valley Transit Authority, also will serve the transit center. In 2017, when construction of a rail extension is complete, the SBTC will provide a direct connection to Metrolink commuter trains. Fulfilling another popular customer request, Omnitrans will provide direct service to San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino by extending Route 1 east to Victoria Avenue in Highland. At the same time, frequency on Route 1 north of downtown San Bernardino will increase to every 15 minutes, instead of every 30 minutes. In light of the significant service changes that recently took effect, Omnitrans ambassadors will be available during peak morning and evening hours to assist customers at several major transfer locations: Chaffey College Transit Center, Chino Transit Center, Montclair TransCenter, Ontario Mills and the San Bernardino Transit Center.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 611

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 895

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 2176

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 676

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1212

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 573

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 655

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 1450

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 681

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 526

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 817

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 766

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->