To help people get to work earlier and enjoy entertainment venues later, Omnitrans increased the span of service on its sbX bus rapid transit line serving Loma Linda and San Bernardino on September 5, 2017.
Commuters can now board sbX vehicles an hour earlier, beginning at 5 am. In the evenings, buses will run about two hours longer, until 11 pm. Service frequency during the expanded hours is every 20 to 30 minutes. During peak morning and afternoon hours, the line operates every 10 minutes, with a 15-minute frequency the rest of the day.
“Longer hours on sbX help those working in the hospitality, healthcare and logistics industries,” said Omnitrans CEO P. Scott Graham. “Students taking evening classes and families wanting to take in a ballgame or movie downtown will also benefit.”
In the past year, the sbX Green Line has averaged over 63,000 passenger boardings per month. The extra hours help improve connections to other Omnitrans and regional bus routes as well as Metrolink service that will be extended to the San Bernardino Transit Center in November.
In a recent survey among businesses along the sbX corridor, 44 percent of respondents said they would like to see service available earlier and later in the day. Businesses’ overall satisfaction of the sbX line outpaced dissatisfaction by a factor of two to one. Nine out of ten sbX riders surveyed said that the initiation of sbX service has changed their transit experience and almost all (94%) give a positive rating to sbX performance.
The sbX BRT line was launched in April 2014. It travels a 16 mile-corridor through San Bernardino and Loma Linda and has 5 miles of dedicated bus-only lanes. There are 16 stations and four park-and-ride lots. The sbX fleet of 14 natural-gas-powered, 60-foot articulated vehicles offers onboard Wi-Fi, power outlets, interior bike racks, and space for two wheelchairs.
Omnitrans recently introduced mobile fares allowing customers to pay via their smart phone. Bus passes also can be purchased on board or at ticket vending machines on station platforms. All sbX stations feature real time arrival signs, benches, lighting, security cameras, and public art. Complete route and schedule information is available at http://www.omnitrans.org/schedules/sbx-green-line/