Category Archives: Events

Community input wanted for future service planning

Posted on June 5, 2017 by | 1 comment

To develop service that meets your wants, needs, and priorities, Omnitrans will be holding two rounds of public meetings this month. This is a component of the Omnitrans Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP), which sets policies related to bus routes, hours of service, frequency, types of service, fares and bus stop amenities for 2019-2025.

In this round of meetings, we invite you to our listening sessions to learn what the communities we serve desire in their transit provider. A second round of meetings will be held in spring 2018 to discuss proposed changes based on the comments the public provides in these meetings.

We look forward to seeing you and taking your constructive feedback! The schedule for the listening session meetings is as follows:

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 2017
San Bernardino
6 a.m. – 9 a.m. at San Bernardino Transit Center
599 W. Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92401

Redlands
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Redlands Mall Transfer Center
100 Redlands Mall, Redlands 92373

Highland
2 p.m. – 4 p.m. in Highland
Highland & Boulder Bus Stop, Highland, CA 92346

San Bernardino
5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Omnitrans East Valley Office
1700 W. Fifth Street, San Bernardino, CA 92411

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2017
Montclair
6 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Montclair Transit Center
5091 Richton Street, Montclair, CA 91763

Rancho Cucamonga
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Chaffey College Transit Center
5885 Haven Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737

Chino
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. at Chino Transit Center
6th st. & Chino Ave, Chino, CA 91710

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017
Fontana
6 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Fontana Transit Center
Sierra Ave & Orange Way, Fontana, CA 92335

Colton
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Transfer Center
400 N Pepper Ave, Colton, CA 92324

Ontario
4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Ontario Senior Center
225 East B St, Ontario, CA 91764

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2017
Ontario
6 a.m. -9 a.m. at Ontario Civic Center Transfer Center
Euclid  Ave. and Holt Blvd., Ontario, CA 91762

Ontario
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Ontario Mills Transfer Center
1 Mills Cir, Ontario, CA 91764

Montclair
4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Montclair Transit Center
5091 Richton Street, Montclair, CA 91763

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017
San Bernardino
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. at San Bernardino Transit Center
599 W. Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92401

MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2017
Chino
6 a.m. – 9 a.m. at Chino Transit Center
6th st. & Chino Ave, Chino, CA 91710

Yucaipa
4 p.m – 7 p.m. at Yucaipa Transit Center
5th St. & Yucaipa Blvd., Yucaipa, CA 92399

TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017
San Bernardino
7 a.m. – 10 a.m. at San Bernardino Transit Center
599 W. Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino, CA 92401

Rialto
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Rialto
Foothill & Riverside Bus Stop, Rialto, CA 92376

Fontana
3 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Fontana Transit Center
Sierra Ave & Orange Way, Fontana, CA 92335

If you are unable to attend any of our public meetings, you may submit your comments via e-mail to tembi.tovar@omnitrans.org or by phone at 909-379-7150.

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Celebrate Bike Month with IE Biking Alliance Community Ride, Plus, Bike Hubitat Service Expands to Weekends!

Posted on May 18, 2017 by | Leave a comment

Omnitrans and the Inland Empire Biking Alliance invite the community to celebrate Bike to Work Day with a “Try Your Bike” ride on Wednesday, May 24. The 9:00 a.m. ride is part of National Bike Month, an annual event designed to encourage people to experience the health, financial and environmental advantages of bicycling.

“It’s well known that using public transit benefits environmental, economic, and physical health,” said Omnitrans spokesperson Wendy Williams. “Biking to transit only enhances those benefits, and we’re pleased to partner with IEBA to introduce the community to the advantages of alternative commuting.”

The “Try Your Bike” ride will begin at the Caltrans office in San Bernardino, located at 464 West 4th St. It will travel a prescribed route around the downtown area, and will stop at the San Bernardino Transit Center at 599 W. Rialto Ave. for information on transit connections, refreshments, and a special FREE gift!

The San Bernardino Transit Center is home to the Bike Hubitat for cyclists, which offers consultation with IEBA volunteers and low-cost repair supplies on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. The Hubitat has been a popular success with riders that it will be extending its hours beginning in May, serving customers on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Also in celebration of National Bike Month, Omnitrans is sponsoring a photo contest. Anytime during the month of May, participants simply can take a selfie of themselves with their bike, including the hashtag #BikeNBus, to be eligible for gift card prizes.

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Ride Omnitrans and Save $2 On National Orange Show Citrus Fair Admission!

Posted on April 17, 2017 by | Leave a comment

Orange you glad the Citrus Fair is back?! We definitely can’t wait to eat all the fair food, enjoy some carnival rides, and explore the local artisan creations of San Bernardino while celebrating our hometown heroes!

The 2017 Citrus Fair: Citrus Strikes Back at the National Orange Show is back for not one, but TWO weekends this year and it’s all going down on May 4-7 and 11-14. Omnitrans has teamed up with the fair once again this year, and we are happy to announce that our $2 discount coupons are back to save the day!

To obtain the discount, simply ride any of our East Valley routes (1 – 29, 290, sbX) starting today and grab a coupon at the front of the bus (available while supplies last). The coupon guarantees a $2 discount on NOS Citrus Fair admission. Coupons are valid on any day of the two-weekend fair.

We will be joining the fun along with Buster the Bus and our vintage bus “Old Blue” every Friday-Sunday both weekends. Swing by our booth and snap a selfie/photo, post to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, use the tag #OMNIHERO, and you could be randomly selected to win one of five $20 Target gift cards! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest.

Take Route 2 (any day of the week) or sbX (on Thursdays and Fridays) directly to the National Orange Show located at 689 S E St., San Bernardino, CA 92408. You can connect to these routes at the San Bernardino Transit Center, located just a mile north of the events center. For a personalized trip, check out our Trip Planner online or call 1 (800) 966-6428 for assistance.

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Classical musicians play the San Bernardino Transit Center

Posted on February 23, 2017 by | Leave a comment

Every day, an average of 5,000 passengers come through the San Bernardino Transit Center as they travel to work, home, health care appointments, and other destinations throughout the region. On Wednesday, February 22nd, however, customers were in for a special treat as the transit and classical music worlds collided for a special afternoon.

San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra principal cellist Ana Maria Maldonado and violinist Laura Rosky-Santori brought a taste of the arts and local culture to the transit center for two hours as they performed for riders, staff, and passers-by as part of the Fine Arts Lunch program.

“This was made possible through a two-year grant from the James Irvine Foundation,” says Anne L. Viricel, executive director of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. “The grant seeks to test whether public perception of San Bernardino may improve through its fine arts community.”

Through the following months, musicians will conduct intimate public performances such as this at least three times each month in well-traveled areas around the city. 

Ana, who began playing the cello in the sixth grade, has been a performer in San Bernardino since 1980 after relocating to Southern California to attend graduate school at USC. She decided to make this home and now teaches at cello lessons and music theory classes at different universities including Cal State San Bernardino and Chaffey College.

“The symphony here has really fine players and Southern California is a really good place for classical musicians. We’re so glad we got this grant, so that we could get out and perform for the community,” says Ana.

Mary, an Omnitrans rider, was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the transit center to the live performance. “I’m a classical music devotee, so this is a real treat,” she enthused.

For Santiago, another Omnitrans passenger, the soothing sounds of the cello and violin took him back to a pleasant moment in his childhood. “It brings back memories of my uncle who used to play music for me and my family when I was six or seven years old,” he said. “This is beautiful.”

A sizeable crowd gathered over the two-hour period, with transit regulars and local community members stopping by during their lunch hour to enjoy the talents of our local artists. Omnitrans had a promotional booth with information and giveaways, much to the attendees’ delight.

“Omnitrans is always happy to partner with wonderful organizations like the San Bernardino Symphony to bring positive experiences to our community. Our goal has always been for the SBTC to be a true community space, so this event was a great fit,” explains Omnitrans Marketing Manager Nicole Ramos.

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Celebrate With Us As Omnitrans Turns 40!

Posted on October 6, 2016 by | Leave a comment

omni40thlogo4color

You only turn 40 once, and we are making it count! Since first starting out in 1976, Omnitrans has traveled nearly 300 million miles in the San Bernardino Valley – that’s the equivalent of three round trips around Mars! More importantly, however, we have connected with our community along the ride and have been part of many people’s lives. Be sure to follow us on social media to be part of all the fun as we celebrate this accomplishment all month long!

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Customer Appreciation Days
Reaching our 40th anniversary is a significant milestone that would not have been possible without you – our customers – and we would like to show our gratitude. We will be hanging out at our West Valley transit centers (Chino, Montclair, Ontario) the morning of Monday, October 17th and at our East Valley transit centers (Fontana, San Bernardino) on Tuesday, October 18th with a commemorative 40th Anniversary giveaway that you don’t want to miss out on! Swing by, say hi and grab one while they last.

40th Anniversary Sweepstakes
Forty years…forty prizes! Enter our 40th Anniversary Sweepstakes for a chance to be one of our randomly selected winners. Simply visit the sweepstakes entry page*, fill out the form completely, and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win. Prizes include Farmer Boys and movie gift cards, commemorative items, and a grand prize of $400 on a Visa gift card, plus a whole year’s worth of Omnitrans passes – a deal that beats even our original bus fare of $.25 per ride!

*Paper entries are available and accepted at the San Bernardino Transit Center customer service and Omnitrans administration office desks.

40 Years of Omnitrans Trivia Contests
Join us as we look back on our accomplishments! Omnitrans has achieved many things in the last 40 years, including several 1st Place Safety Awards from the National Safety Council, and we want to celebrate with you and a good old game of trivia! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and each Monday for the rest of October we will have a new trivia question for you. All who answer correctly will be entered into a weekly drawing on Fridays for a chance to win a $40 Visa gift card!

Last Call for Memories
In 40 years, Omnitrans has grown from 29 vehicles to a fleet of 275 buses and 34 routes! That is a lot of rides that transcend generations, so tell us: do you have a fond memory of Omnitrans? Share your story and photo(s) by e-mailing onlinemktg@omnitrans.org. You may also post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #OmniTurns40. Selected stories and photos will be featured as part of our celebration this month.

omni-early-76

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Omnitrans Vet Fare Kickoff A Success

Posted on January 9, 2015 by | 1 comment

In appreciation for the contributions of the men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces, Omnitrans introduced a discount fare for US military veterans on January 5, 2015.

“It’s our way of saying thanks to those who have served to protect our freedom,” said Omnitrans CEO/General Manager P. Scott Graham, himself a veteran of the US Marine Corps. Approximately 79,000 veterans reside in the Omnitrans service area of the San Bernardino Valley.

P. Scott Graham, Omnitrans CEO

A kickoff event was held at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Medical Center in Loma Linda, California. Representatives of Omnitrans, its Board of Directors, the VA Healthcare system, 211-Vetlink, and San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs all hailed the new discount fare as a well-deserved benefit for those who served in the armed forces.

Osvaldo Maysonet, Veterans Specialist at 211-Vetlink and former Marine sergeant who served in the Iraq war, is credited with leading the charge to get Omnitrans and several neighboring transit agencies to implement a veteran discount. “This will have a big impact on affordability for our veterans,” Maysonet said. “We have many vets in San Bernardino County who are dealing with low income or no income. Access to affordable transportation will connect them with education, healthcare and employment opportunities and possibly help them to become taxpayers again.”

Osvaldo Maysonet, Veterans Specialist at 211-Vetlink

At the kickoff event, Omnitrans donated 500 veterans 1-day bus passes to VA Healthcare system programs. Veteran resources were on site to offer assistance and information. San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs issued nearly 100 free photo ID cards for veterans. The IDs verify eligibility for the new bus fares and can be used to earn discounts at other “veteran-friendly” businesses in the county.

The veteran fare provides a 50% discount on fixed route bus fares and passes to US retired military personnel with ID. This includes those who served in the US Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy. Additionally, Omnitrans introduced free rides for uniformed active duty military members, police and firefighters.

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Buster enjoys Star Wars night at the Quakes

Posted on May 27, 2014 by | Leave a comment

What could be more fun than Star Wars Night at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes baseball game?

Darth Vader and BusterJunior Jedi Buster the Bus received a few lessons in the Force Saturday night from Obi-Wan-Kenobi. He even came face-to-face with the infamous Darth Vader!  A great time was had by all.

You can catch up with Buster and the Omnitrans gang in June at the Inland Empire 66ers.

Check our community calendar for details.

Photos courtesy of Diane Bojorquez

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