City of Clovis launches new fixed-route transit system

On Nov. 17, the city of Clovis, Calif., launched its new fixed-route transit system. The city says the change comes after several years of surveys and research to design a new system to meet the needs of residents, as Clovis Transit has operated two main routes for over 25 years. In that time, the city notes its population has more than doubled, creating the need for updated, expanded routes.  

The overhauled Clovis Transit system replaces the old loop routes with streamlined, color-coded routes along major roadways in the city, with new connections to help passengers reach their destinations with greater ease and speed. North and south routes will now run along key streets such as Willow, Clovis, Sunnyside and Temperance avenues while east and west routes will cover Herndon, parts of Barstow, Fifth Street/Bullard, Shaw and Ashlan. According to the city, the routes are also designed to connect with nearly all Clovis Unified high schools, Clovis Community College, and Fresno State, ensuring students have access to reliable transportation. 

"We’ve been working on this new system for years, and I’m really excited to finally bring it to our community," said Clovis Transit Deputy General Services Director Bethany Berube. "The decision to expand and invest in new buses and routes is a direct response to our city’s growth and our ongoing efforts to make transit more accessible. With these new routes, we’ll be able to provide faster, more efficient service, reaching parts of the city that were previously harder to access. It's all about making sure everyone in our community has the mobility they need." 

Under the new system, the city says buses will no longer operate on a fixed schedule, helping passengers reach their destinations more quickly. Rather than planning around bus times, riders can now expect a bus to pass each stop at least every 30 minutes and, more often than not, significantly faster. Clovis Transit is also introducing a new textback system; each bus stop will have a sign with a phone number and a unique stop code, allowing passengers to text the code to the phone number for up-to-date arrival times of the next two buses. 

Clovis Transit notes the city is also introducing a new microtransit pick-up and drop-off service at Dry Creek Trailhead and Pasa Tiempo Park. Starting in December, the on-demand service will be available to connect passengers to the main transit routes for greater access and convenience.