Imperial Valley Transit

Imperial Valley Transit (IVT), also known as IV Transit, is the provider of mass transportation in California's Imperial Valley, serving the cities of El Centro, Calexico, Brawley, and Imperial. Formed in 1989 with just 3 buses and serving close to 3000 passengers per month,[1] the agency currently serves more than 73,000 passengers per month[5] with over 20 buses in operation. Twelve routes, plus the El Centro Circulators (which are labeled as the Green Line running clockwise and the Blue Line running counterclockwise) form the structure of the system. Service is provided every day of the week except on recognized federal holidays. Two limited stop routes (the 31/32 Direct) also travel Monday-Saturday, and two express buses (the 21 & 22 IVC Express) run to Imperial Valley College when classes are in session.

Imperial Valley Transit
SloganRide with Us!
ParentImperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC)[1]
FoundedNovember 1, 1989 (1989-11-01)[2]
Headquarters792 East Ross Road
El Centro, CA 92243
LocaleEl Centro, CA
Service areaImperial County, California
Service type
Routes14
Stations
  • El Centro Regional Transit Terminal[3]
  • Brawley Transit Transfer Station[3]
  • Calexico Intermodal Transportation Center (Environmental & Design Phase)
  • Imperial Transit Park
  • Imperial Valley College Transfer Terminal
Annual ridership842,836 (FY 2016)[4]
OperatorFirst Transit[1]
Chief executiveMark Baza
Websiteivtransit.com

Recent Developments

Imperial Valley Transit has been on a concentrated effort in recent years to improve transit services to the region it serves. These efforts include replacing an aging fleet from the 1990s with new vehicles. New transit stations have also been developed with more on the way planned for the cities of Calexico and Imperial. Schedules for the most in-demand routes have been expanded as well, alleviating overcrowding.

Partnership with Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA) and the Quechan Indian Tribe

The following routes are treated as an extension of the Imperial Valley Transit system, funded and administered by the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC), YCIPTA, and Quechan. The routes are operated with Yuma County Area Transit (YCAT) buses.[6]

YCAT Turquoise Route 10

Since its formation in 1989, IV Transit had provided public transportation to Winterhaven with an extension of Route 3 east of Holtville. This lifeline route, composed of one round trip, provided passengers in the remote community access to government and medical services in the county seat of El Centro every Wednesday.

When ICTC, administrator and funder of IV Transit, was approached by Quechan and YCIPTA to provide better transit services in the area, all agencies agreed to discontinue the extension of Route 3 east of Holtville and replace it with the newly jointly funded YCAT Turquoise Route 10. The more extensive route, effective January 7, 2013, provided two round trips a day and traveled every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. The route better serves Eastern Imperial County residents and connects Yuma, Winterhaven, and El Centro via Interstate 8. Further connections are available to YCAT routes at the Downtown Yuma Transit Center and IVT routes at the El Centro Regional Transit Terminal.[7][8][9]

Though showing modest gains in ridership since then, service on Saturdays has been cut effective July 1, 2016 due to its inability to meet farebox recovery ratio performance standards.[6] Additionally, discounts and fare passes were terminated for YCAT's Turquoise Route 10 in order to increase its chances of meeting the aforementioned standard.

As of June 30, 2017, Turquoise Route 10 achieved its standard and added a third day to its schedule effective July 1, 2018 with the addition of Fridays.[10]

YCAT Blue Route 5

This partnership was further broaden when ICTC started to jointly fund with YCIPTA and Quechan YCAT's Blue Route 5 in FY 2016. The route, which has been around since June 1, 2012, is a circulator running in a counter clockwise direction connecting Yuma with the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, Winterhaven, and the Quechan Casino Resort.[6] The service further enhances the transportation options Eastern Imperial County residents have at their disposal.

And since October 20, 2013, Blue Route 5 now makes a stop at the Andrade Port of Entry. This is the first time public transit services have ever stop at this destination.[11]

Schedule Expansion

Part of this expansion included an increase in Saturday service beginning August 3, 2013. Buses would now run approximately every 90 minutes on Routes 1 & 2.[12]

Trips to and from Imperial Valley College have also improved in August 2013 from an initial 7 to 11 trips a day on Route 21.[13] Again, this alleviated overcrowding and allowed students to arrive to classes on time.[14]

Further expansion was achieved with headway improvements from 70 to 35 minutes beginning October 1, 2013 on Route 1 during peak hours from 7 a.m. thru 5:30 p.m.[13] The immediate results were buses running on time and less passengers being left behind at bus stops.[14]

On December 18, 2013, the Brawley Gold Line circulator was established in the city of Brawley to better serve its residents and transferring passengers on the main bus routes of the system. It serves key destinations, providing greater mobility around the city.[15]

Additional circulators are planned when funding becomes available with the Garnet Line in Calexico and the Red Line in Imperial.[4]

Starting January 5, 2014, limited Sunday service was implemented between Calexico and Brawley on Routes 1 & 2 along with IVT Access, the local para transit service of Imperial Valley.[16] This is the first time public transportation services has been provided county-wide on Sundays.

Transit Technology

In 2016, Wi-Fi has also been introduced to the entire fleet of vehicles except for the circulator routes (Blue, Gold, and Green Lines) in Brawley and El Centro.[4] Also, most if not all vehicles have security cameras.

Routes
  • 1N/1S: Calexico-El Centro
  • 2N/2S: El Centro-Niland
  • 3W/3E: El Centro-Holtville
  • 4W/4E: El Centro-Seeley-**Ocotillo**
  • 21N/21S IVC Express: Imperial Valley College to Calexico
  • 22N/22S IVC Express: Imperial Valley College to Niland
  • 31 Direct: Brawley-Calexico
  • 32 Direct: Calexico-Brawley
  • 41N/41S: Brawley Fast
  • 45W/45E: Holtville Fast
  • 51N/51S: Brawley-Bombay Beach-Slab City
  • Brawley Gold Line
  • El Centro Blue Line
  • El Centro Green Line

**On demand response Tuesdays only.

Roster
Fleet[17][18] number(s) Thumbnail Year Manufacturer Model Engine Transmission Notes
500 2017 Ford Starcraft E450s Vehicle series # 500-504 are used for the city circulators in Brawley & El Centro
501 2017 Ford Starcraft E450s
502 2017 Ford Starcraft E450s
503 2017 Ford Starcraft E450s
504 2017 Ford Starcraft E450s
1100 2016 Ford Starcraft Allstar E450s Unleaded Gasoline[19]
1101 2016 Ford Starcraft Allstar E450s Unleaded Gasoline
1102 2016 Ford Starcraft Allstar E450s Unleaded Gasoline
1103 2016 Ford Starcraft Allstar E450s Unleaded Gasoline
1104 2016 Ford Starcraft Allstar E450s Unleaded Gasoline
1105 2016 Ford Starcraft Allstar E450s Unleaded Gasoline
1201 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel[17]
1202 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1203 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1204 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1205 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1206 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1207 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1208 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1209 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1210 2012 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1211 2015 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1212 2015 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1213 2015 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1214 2015 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1215 2015 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
1216 2015 Gillig Standard Low Floor Diesel Clean, low emission-powered diesel
gollark: Just use a different quarryMod™™.
gollark: I don't know if there actually *is* conversion any more.
gollark: yes.
gollark: BC has its own power system in *most* versions.
gollark: Don't think so.

References
  1. About IVT
  2. "Foundation Date" (PDF). Imperial County Transportation Commission. July 18, 2018.
  3. station name
  4. ICTC Transportation Commission Agenda of December 14, 2016
  5. ICTC Transportation Commission Agenda of June 25, 2014
  6. "Turquoise Route 10 Service Cuts" (PDF).
  7. "Turquoise Route 10" (PDF).
  8. "Route connects El Centro, Yuma". schurz-ivpressonline. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  9. @YSMARAKNAUB, MARA KNAUB -. "YCAT expanding to El Centro, Foothills and San Luis". Yuma Sun. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  10. "YCAT Turquoise Route 10 Service Improvement" (PDF). Imperial County Transportation Commission. July 18, 2018.
  11. @YSMaraKnaub, MARA KNAUB. "YCAT heading to Algodones, Mexico". Yuma Sun. Retrieved 2016-12-17.
  12. "Saturday expansion" (PDF).
  13. "Weekday expansion" (PDF).
  14. "Expansion results" (PDF).
  15. Reporter, Staff. "Brawley Transit Transfer Station and Brawley Gold Line now operational The Desert Review". www.thedesertreview.com. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  16. Sunday Service
  17. Fleet information 1
  18. Fleet information 2
  19. Fuel Type 2
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