The following is a press release from an organization unaffiliated with Voice of OC. The views expressed here are not those of Voice of OC.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713
Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 20, 2016
OC Fair Express Hits Record Ridership for First Weekend
Riders can continue to catch the direct bus service Friday to Sunday through Aug. 14
ORANGE – A record number of riders discovered the advantages of a convenient and affordable public transportation option for getting to the OC Fair during the event’s first weekend with 14,194 people boarding the OC Fair Express.
That beat the previous record, established during the fair’s first weekend of 2014, by 5,783 riders and bested last year’s first-weekend totals by 94 percent.
The Orange County Transportation Authority is offering the non-stop bus service from nine park-and-ride locations across Orange County. A new mobile app allows riders to find schedules and to buy tickets electronically, making riding the OC Fair Express easier than ever before.
“I’m thrilled to see so many people are discovering the convenience and cost savings by taking the bus to the fair,” said OCTA Chair Lori Donchak. “Avoiding parking costs and the hassle of traffic around the fair is the way to go. I hope those who’ve enjoyed the OC Fair Express will encourage their friends to also give it a try.”
The OC Fair Express will continue to provide non-stop weekend service (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) through Aug. 14.
The bus service costs $4 round-trip and riders will receive a coupon valid for $3 admission to the fair – a savings of $9 off the regular ticket price. Seniors 60 and above pay 75 cents each way, and children ages 5 years and younger ride free with a paying adult.
Buses run every 20 minutes from Fullerton and Huntington Beach, every 30 minutes from Santa Ana and every 40 minutes from the two Anaheim stops, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Orange and San Juan Capistrano.
Service runs from noon to midnight on Fridays and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. Riders can download the free OC Bus app to their smart phone or other mobile device from the iTunes App Store or Google Play.
In 2015, the OC Fair Express, recorded nearly 79,000 boardings, a record for the service.
Riders can catch an OC Fair Express from nine locations:
- Anaheim: Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, 2626 E. Katella Ave.
- Anaheim Canyon: Anaheim Canyon Metrolink Station, 1039 N. Pacificenter Drive
- Fullerton: Fullerton Park-and-Ride, 3000 W. Orangethorpe Ave.
- Huntington Beach: Goldenwest Transportation Center, 7301 Center Ave.
- Irvine: Irvine Metrolink Station, 15215 Barranca Parkway
- Laguna Hills: Laguna Hills Transportation Center, 24282 Calle de los Caballeros
- Orange: The Village at Orange, 1500 E. Village Way
- Santa Ana: The Depot at Santa Ana, 1000 E. Santa Ana Blvd.
- San Juan Capistrano: Junipero Serra Park-and-Ride, I-5 Freeway and Junipero Serra Road.
The OC Fair Express is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee. The committee provides subsidies for cleaner transportation alternatives.
For more information, visit www.octa.net/ocfairexpress.
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