Eureka Transit Service

Infobox Bus transit
name = Eureka Transit Service

logo_size = 206


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founded = 20 January 1976
headquarters = 133 V Street, Eureka CA
locale = Eureka, CA
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service_type = Bus
alliance =
routes = 5
destinations =
stops = ~100
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet = 10
ridership =
fuel_type = Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid
operator = Humboldt Transit Authority
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website = http://www.eurekatransit.org/The Eureka Transit Service is the city fixed-route bus system in Eureka, California. ETS operates four weekday routes between downtown Eureka, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Myrtletown, Cutten, and Pine Hill. Three routes operate on Saturdays. Bus service in Eureka is provided under contract by the Humboldt Transit Authority.

History & Predecessors

Electric streetcar operations

Fixed route public transportation in Eureka began in 1903, when the Humboldt Transit Company initiated electric streetcar service between downtown, Myrtle Avenue, Sequoia Park, and J Street. [ [www.ci.eureka.ca.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=4459 History of Eureka, CA.] ] By 1940, however, the streetcar system was no longer profitable and was canceled in favor of motorized public transit. On the last day of service, some Eureka residents burned a Humboldt Transit railcar in the streets, utterly destroying it. The newly-formed Eureka Transit Lines provided motorized transit service for the next several decades, but this system was never as comprehensive or well-ridden as the streetcar lines. [Street railways of Eureka, by Stanley T. Borden. 1964.]

Bishop's Transit Service

On April 10, 1972, the city council transferred the operation of Eureka's jitney service to Bishop's Transit Service, a private company owned by Glen and Lloyd Bishop. [1972 Minutes of the City Council of Eureka, CA] In conjunction with the formation of the Humboldt Transit Authority, the city of Eureka assumed control of the bus system on January 20, 1976 and offered a week of free rides to promote the system. It also contracted Young Ideas Advertising and Sales Promotion to create an advertising campaign, logo, and new name for the new system. [Eureka City Council Resolution 6638] It was still operated by Bishop, however. Under this arrangement, the city subsidized operation and required Bishop to secure the city council's approval before changing routes or fares. In the mid-1970s, Bishop was operating two city bus routes with two Chevrolet Step Vans built in 1968 and 1973. [Eureka City Council Resolution 6853] By 1979, the city owned five transit vehicles and was operating three routes (see map). The fare was $0.25 with free transfer. [1979 Minutes of the City Council of Eureka, CA] On February 1, 1985, the city of Eureka began operating ETS independently, no longer contracting operations to Bishop. Over the next five years, the city purchased its first heavy-duty transit buses, 30' Gillig Phantoms, and revised the vans' original yellow and red design to yellow, orange, and brown on the new buses. [1985 Minutes of the City Council of Eureka, CA]

Route restructuring

, to restructure and market ETS, resulting in a four-route system. [1990 Minutes of the City Council of Eureka, CA] Three years later, the new Purple Route brought the route total to five, with three buses operating on Saturdays. [Eureka Transit Service schedule: January 2, 1996.] Routes were again restructured in 1998 and the Rainbow Route was introduced as one of only two Saturday buses. [Eureka Transit Service schedule: August 22, 1998.] In 2003, Bayshore Mall replaced Henderson Center as the main non-downtown transfer point, resulting in substantial route changes. [Eureka Transit Service schedule: 2003.] However, this geographically removed transfer point significantly increased trip times, and in 2005 it was switched back to the more central Henderson Center in a major revision that eliminated the Blue Route and increased overall speed thanks to shortened trips. [Eureka Transit Service schedule: January 1, 2006.]

Routes

Red Route

Along with the Green Route, the Red Route is one of the original ETS routes, though it has changed considerably over the years. It currently services downtown Eureka, Broadway, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Cutten, and Sequoia Park. It starts service at 6:28 AM and ends at 7:00 PM.

Green Route

At one time, the Green Route served as a shuttle between downtown Eureka and Henderson Center. It has since expanded to service Bayshore Mall, Silvercrest, St. Joseph and General hospitals, and Myrtletown as well. The Green Route begins at 6:37 AM and ends at 6:44 PM.

Gold Route

Although newer than the Red and Green Routes, the Gold Route is perhaps the most stable. Despite revisions to the other routes, the Gold Route has consistently serviced downtown Eureka, Pine Hill, Bayshore Mall, and Henderson Center. It runs from 6:15 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays, and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays.

Purple Route

The Purple Route services downtown Eureka, the Humboldt County Library, Silvercrest, General Hospital, Henderson Center, and Burre Center. It runs from 6:39 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays, and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays.

Rainbow Route

The Rainbow Route, so named because it incorporates specific sections of weekday routes, runs only on Saturdays. It services downtown Eureka, Broadway, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Sequoia Park, St. Joseph and General hospitals, and Myrtletown. It runs from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Fares and Passes

Free one-way transfers are included in the fare. ETS offers a regional transit pass jointly with Redwood Transit and the Arcata and Mad River Transit System in $10 and $20 values. Day and month passes are also available.

Jack Pass

The Jack Pass program, initiated in the fall of 2007, allows Humboldt State University students to ride Eureka Transit, Redwood Transit, and Arcata and Mad River Transit free with a student ID with current registration sticker.

Fleet

ETS currently operates an all-Gillig fleet, with seven Phantoms from 1988-2003 and two hybrid Low Floors from 2007. In 1998 the city council designated one bus as a Visitors' Bus that would promote tourism with a bus wrap featuring local attractions; [1998 Minutes of the City Council of Eureka, CA] this bus has since been retired. Since 2002, buses have been ordered in ETS's new red, white, and blue livery, each with a distinct swooping purple design, and all other buses still in service have been repainted from their original colors. In 2007, HTA joined a consortium of eleven transit agencies to purchase five diesel-electric hybrid buses from Gillig Corporation; two of these are Eureka Transit buses. The hybrids are also Humboldt County's first low-floor buses. [ [http://eurekareporter.com/node/87263 Humboldt County, Eureka get five new hybrid buses] , Eureka Reporter]

References

External links

* [http://www.eurekatransit.org Eureka Transit Service]

* [http://www.fredhope.com/hta_media HTA Media: Audio and Visual Recordings of Humboldt Transit Authority buses]