Gold Runner To Make Bus Travel Even Easier Offering “Bus-Only” Ticketing Effective December 13th, 2021

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Riders Can Now Purchase "Bus-Only" Tickets for Three More Routes

Riders on Gold Runner will now be able to purchase bus-only tickets for Routes 1C, 7, and 19, without the need for their trip to include a train connection. This is the next step of implementing SB 742, legislation that opened up the Amtrak thruway bus network for riders and made the Gold Runner service more convenient and accessible. Already, Routes 10 and 18 are open for bus-only ticket purchases.

The bus-only ticketing options are now available in the following locations:

Route 1C: Bakersfield - Van Nuys - West Los Angeles/UCLA - Santa Monica
Route 7: Martinez - Napa - Santa Rosa - Humboldt State University - Arcata
Route 10: Santa Barbara - Bakersfield - Barstow - Las Vegas
Route 18: Hanford - Lemoore - San Luis Obispo - Santa Maria
Route 19: Bakersfield - Pasadena - Riverside - San Bernardino

Making Amtrak's thruway bus routes available to non-rail riders brings several benefits including:

Improved access to transit for priority and underserved communities
Reduction in greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions by diverting trips that would have previously been taken by an automobile
Reduced car trips on some of the state's most congested freeways
Better utilization of current transit infrastructure
Increased revenues for the state at virtually no additional cost

State legislation, SB 742 authored by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), was passed in 2019 to remove the requirement for intercity passenger rail/thruway bus services to sell companion rail tickets as condition of the sale. The bill specifically allows Joint Powers Authorities, including San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA), Capitol Corridor, and the Los Angeles San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN), to pick up and drop off passengers on their Amtrak intercity thruway bus routes without requiring them to have a train ticket as part of their trip.

"We are pleased to be rolling out this next stage of increased accessibility for our thruway bus network," said David Lipari, Marketing Manager for the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority. "Our focus is on making travel on Gold Runner as convenient as possible, which means ensuring that potential riders can use our network for trips near or far, and with or without train connections."

Plan and book ahead to make sure your seat is reserved.To check for available "bus-only" destinations along the Thruway Bus routes and the associated fares, visit https://amtraksanjostg.wpengine.com/thruway-bus-routes/.For inquiries, train passengers can reach out to Gold Runner on Twitter at @SanJoaquins, Facebook and Instagram at @AmtrakSanJoaquins or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

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