By Laura Petersen, public information contractor
On a hot June morning, Michael Yates hopped on the bus from his stop at the Fowler Center in the Brunswick Basin to Tinloy Street before heading to the Grass Valley Library on foot to check out some books.
Yates prefers to use Nevada County public transit over cars to get to where he needs to go and take care of business - from shopping to errands and even trips to Auburn. The low cost and the drivers make the trips worthwhile.
“I love the drivers. They are some really helpful people,” said Yates.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Nevada County’s public transit system rebranded in 2022 as Nevada County Connects.
“Back in 1975 when we started there were only two routes between Grass Valley and Nevada City. It's grown and contracted over the years,” said Transit Services Division Manager Robin Van Valkenburgh.
Yates remembers those early days. He was just 13 when he started riding the Gold Country Stage from Grass Valley to Nevada City. An avid user of public transit in the communities he has lived in - from Hawaii to Seattle and Rhode Island - Yates has seen rural service evolve in Nevada County.
Nevada County Connects, the local and regional fixed route bus service now operates seven routes in Western Nevada County, connecting Grass Valley, the Brunswick Basin, Nevada City, North San Juan, Penn Valley - Lake Wildwood, Rough and Ready and Alta Sierra on Saturdays, as well as a regional connection to the Auburn Amtrak station.
The colorfully painted Tinloy Transit Station in downtown Grass Valley on Tinloy Street serves Nevada County Connects as a central hub where all routes begin and terminate. In recent years, digital wayfinding signage and color coded stops at the picturesque station along Wolf Creek in Grass Valley make it easier for folks to find their route.
“The curbs and the columns associated with each route at Tinloy Transfer Station are color coded according to the service map making the system more colorful and helpful to folks who speak English as a second language,” said Van Valkenburgh.
Since joining the team eight years ago, Van Valkenburgh has helped usher in progress. Besides adding routes, there are now audio and visual stop announcements for the visually and hearing impaired, television monitors mounted in vehicles for public service announcements, a new website and transit application (app) that provides real time information for riders and on-demand services for seniors and people with disabilities.
“They can call up and book a ride. It’s almost like paratransit, Uber or Lift.
This really benefits the public and makes it easier to access services,” said Van Valkenburgh.
Another big milestone was the addition of two zero-emission battery electric buses in 2023 that run on Route One and provide a comfortable ride with a more accessible wheelchair ramp, cutting boarding time to 60 seconds. Construction for an electric charging project broke ground in June. at the Tinloy Street Transit Center. The project is key to providing consistent, reliable, all-day service for Nevada County Connects electric buses.
Beginning in March, the Tap-to-Pay contactless fare payment systems on all Nevada County Connects buses makes paying for bus fare as easy as buying a cup of coffee. The Tap-to-Pay system allows customers to pay for their bus ride using contactless-enabled debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and smartwatches.
More on the horizon
Despite the advances, Nevada County public transit has a long way to go. Growing up in the Bay Area riding transit and commuting by bus, plus working in a whole range of systems from Fairfield to Chico and on the East Coast, Van Valkenburgh has his sights set high for Western Nevada County.
“It’s the variety of systems that I’ve seen that leads me to continually reassess where we are and make it better,” he said.
One drawback in Western Nevada County is the lack of external funding streams seen in Eastern Nevada County where resorts, a sales tax measure and transient occupancy tax from hotels and resorts funds microtransit service at no cost to users. Shuttles to popular outdoor recreation trails during the summer months is another perk of living and visiting in the Truckee-Tahoe region.
Increasing ridership from the 125,000 annual trips or boardings is a goal the entire community can work toward. Kinder for the planet, Nevada County Connects is easy-to-use and cost effective at just $6 a day from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and $3 for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.
Starting this month, Nevada County Connects is conducting a public outreach campaign and comprehensive analysis to gather input on what improvements the community would like to see in the future.
“That study is going to be key to make sure we are meeting the community where it wants to be met. Ideally (public transit will be) a seamless part of everyday life. We’re not there yet. We’re making strides. That’s for sure. We're making it more convenient and making buses work better. I think we can do more,” said Van Valkenburgh.
For now, approximately 40 trained drivers keep routes running on schedule, helping people get to their destinations with kindness, dignity and respect.
One of those drivers is Jordan Horowitz, a retired high school math teacher who started driving public transit for Nevada County about a year and a half ago because he was bored in retirement and wanted to supplement his retirement income. He enjoys the employee benefits and seeing the local people everyday. He knows many regular riders by name.
“Most riders are gracious and grateful people, just like students,” he said. He says Nevada County has a robust system compared to other communities.
Van Valkenburgh echoed this care and kindness for the people they serve.
“We’re grateful to serve the community. Everyone here at Transit Services has a very proprietary feeling toward the county and we’re really invested in making sure everyone is OK and getting to where they need to go,” said Van Valkenburgh.
Learn more at nevadacountyconnects.com.