Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA), the second largest transit operator in San Bernardino County (with over 1,020,119 passengers a year), is a transit agency providing bus service in the Victor Valley, California area.[5][6] In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,476,600.
In June 2015, VVTA was designated as a Consolidated Transportation Services Agency (CTSA) for the High & North Desert regions of San Bernardino County. This represented an expanding role and commitment to the Authority's already established Mobility Management department and increased the VVTA service area from 425 to 950 square miles.[7]
History
Origins of the VVTA
VVTA operates local fixed-route, county commuter (discontinued in 2005), and ADA complementary paratransit bus
services in the Victor Valley area. It has a maintenance facility located in Hesperia. The service
structure consists of 23 local fixed and deviated routes, 3 County routes and ADA complementary paratransit service.
VVTA was established through a Joint Powers Authority in 1991. The JPA includes the four
cities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Hesperia and Victorville and certain unincorporated
portions of the County of San Bernardino including Oro Grande, Helendale, Lucerne Valley, Phelan, Piñon Hills, Wrightwood. Service is also provided to Barstow and Fort Irwin. The Fort Irwin service is branded as the NTC Commuter. The Board of Directors includes council members from the above cities and the San Bernardino 1st
District Supervisor. Since 1998, the Board has held a management contract with McDonald Transit Associates, Inc.
for administration of the system. In January 2005, the operations contract for all
transit service in the Victor Valley area was consolidated under a separate contract with ATC
(later Veoila, now Transdev).[8] In 2018, National Express Transit became the system operator.[9] Keolis Transit America (KTA), a subsidiary of Keolis North America, began operating the network Oct. 1, 2020.[10]
MV Transportation, Inc. was contracted by the city to operate Barstow Area Transit. Barstow Area Transit operated Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and on the weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m; the system carried more than 144,000 passengers each year.
The system featured three routes: Central Barstow, which was called Route 1 while running as a clockwise loop and Route 2 while running counterclockwise; West Barstow/Grandview/Lenwood, which was called Route 3 while running clockwise and Route 4 while running counterclockwise; and Hwy 58 which traveled crosstown as Route 5.
Transition to Fuel Cell Buses
In May 2023, the board of directors voted to replace its Battery Electric buses in favor of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses due to not meeting range requirements. Current plans are for eleven fuel cell buses[14]
Governance
Victor Valley Transit Authority is administered by a Board of Directors, consisting of Seven Members (each with an alternate). The five board members from the cities are elected council persons assigned to VVTA by their respective city councils. The two board members are the San Bernardino county Supervisors[15] (generally a staff person or the supervisor represents the county as the alternate). The Board is required under the JPA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to meet at least one time each quarter of each fiscal year. Board meetings are generally monthly in Hesperia, with every third meeting in Barstow. All meetings are held in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. Board meetings are presided by the Board-appointed Chair. The board of directors is responsible for such acts as adopting the budget, approving route and schedule changes, public hearings as required, appointing the CEO/General Manager, appointing a technical advisory committee, establishing policy, and adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of business. The VVTA Technical Advisory (TAC) committee is the working group for the VVTA Board. It is composed of a staff member from each of the cities and County who is generally appointed by the City Manager, County Supervisor. The TAC takes direction from the Board to make recommendations on policy issues. In addition, TAC reviews monthly all suggested Board agenda items and decides on what actions to recommend to the Board for approval.[16]
Routes
VVTA routes include Fixed, County, Intercity, and Commuter. County routes and some Fixed Routes can deviate as far as 3/4 mile to pick up passengers. County routes serve outlying rural areas. In August 2021, all routes at Lorene and 7th were moved to the Victor Valley Transportation Center (VVTC). On Sunday, October 2, 2022 VVTA returned to full-service.
Routes 1-9 are Barstow routes; 10-19 are Intercity routes; 20-29 are County routes; 30-39 are Routes primarily in Adelanto; 40-49 are Apple Valley, 50-59 are Victorville, 60-69 are Hesperia, and 100 series are the NTC Commuter. All routes operate 7 days a week. NTC Commuter Routes 111-118 operate Weekdays only..
Sunday, October 6, 2024, route restructuring and schedule changes. Barstow service hours expanded to be the same as Hesperia's service hours. Routes 25, 50X, and 54 discontinued. New Routes 27 and 49. Route 55 increased weekday frequency to 30 minute service. Routes 27, 28, and 29 frequency increased from 3 hours to 2 hours. Routes 40, 47, 54, and 66 Sunday frequency increased from every two hours to hourly. Route 66 Weekday and Saturday frequency increased from every two hours to hourly.
Free rides on all Fixed Routes (1-6, 31-68) and County Routes (20-29) from Sunday, October 5, 2024 to Saturday, October 12, 2024.
AM Northbound to Fort Irwin, PM Southbound to Barstow
114
Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin Bus Lot
Hesperia
Smoke Tree St - VVTA
15 Freeway
AM Northbound to Fort Irwin, PM Southbound to Hesperia
115
Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin Bus Lot
Silver Lakes
Vista Rd + Helendale Rd
National Trails Hwy
AM Northbound to Fort Irwin, PM Southbound to Helendale
118
Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin Bus Lot
Irwin Rd / 15 Freeway
PM Southbound to Hesperia via Barstow
Micro-Link
On Monday, October 3, 2022, Micro-Link was introduced in three zones - Zone 1 Victorville, and Zone 2 Hesperia. Beginning October 28, 2024, Zone 3 North Apple Valley.
