Eureka Transit Service
Encyclopedia
The Eureka Transit Service is the city fixed-route bus system in Eureka, California
. ETS operates four weekday routes between downtown Eureka, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Myrtletown, Cutten, and Pine Hill. Three routes operate on Saturdays. Bus service in Eureka is provided under contract by the Humboldt Transit Authority
.
service to Bishop's Transit Service, a private company owned by Glen and Lloyd Bishop. In conjunction with the formation of the Humboldt Transit Authority
, the city of Eureka assumed control of the bus system on January 20, 1976 and offered a week of free rides to promote the system. It also contracted Young Ideas Advertising and Sales Promotion to create an advertising campaign, logo, and new name for the new system. It was still operated by Bishop, however. Under this arrangement, the city subsidized operation and required Bishop to secure the city council's approval before changing routes or fares. In the mid-1970s, Bishop was operating two city bus routes with two Chevrolet Step Vans built in 1968 and 1973. By 1979, the city owned five transit vehicles and was operating three routes (see map). The fare was $0.25 with free transfer. On February 1, 1985, the city of Eureka began operating ETS independently, no longer contracting operations to Bishop. Over the next five years, the city purchased its first heavy-duty transit buses, 30' Gillig Phantom
s, and revised the vans' original yellow and red design to yellow, orange, and brown on the new buses.
Free one-way transfers are included in the fare. ETS offers a regional transit pass jointly with Redwood Transit and the Arcata and Mad River Transit System
in $10 and $20 values. Day and month passes are also available.
students to ride Eureka Transit, Redwood Transit, and Arcata and Mad River Transit free with a student ID with current registration sticker.
fleet, with Phantoms from 2002-2003 (as of 2010, operating only on Saturdays), hybrid Low Floors from 2007, and diesel Low Floors from 2009. In 1998 the city council designated one bus as a Visitors' Bus that would promote tourism with a bus wrap featuring local attractions; this bus has since been retired. Since 2002, buses have been ordered in ETS's new red, white, and blue livery, each with a distinct swooping purple design, and all other buses were repainted from their original colors. In 2007, HTA joined a consortium of eleven transit agencies to purchase five diesel-electric hybrid buses from Gillig Corporation; two of these are Eureka Transit buses. The hybrids were also Humboldt County's first low-floor buses.
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
. ETS operates four weekday routes between downtown Eureka, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Myrtletown, Cutten, and Pine Hill. Three routes operate on Saturdays. Bus service in Eureka is provided under contract by the Humboldt Transit Authority
Humboldt Transit Authority
Humboldt Transit Authority operates two transit services in Humboldt County, California:*Redwood Transit System*Eureka Transit Service...
.
Electric streetcar operations
Fixed route public transportation in Eureka began in 1903, when the Humboldt Transit Company initiated electric streetcar service between downtown, Myrtle Avenue, Sequoia Park, and J Street. By 1940, however, the streetcar system was no longer profitable and was canceled in favor of motorized public transit. On the last day of service, some Eureka residents burned a Humboldt Transit railcar in the streets, utterly destroying it. The newly-formed Eureka Transit Lines provided motorized transit service for the next several decades, but this system was never as comprehensive or well-ridden as the streetcar lines.Bishop's Transit Service
On April 10, 1972, the city council transferred the operation of Eureka's jitneyJitney
Jitney may refer to:* Jitney , written by August Wilson* Atlantic City Jitney Association, an association of operators of minibus service in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA* an archaic name for a nickel...
service to Bishop's Transit Service, a private company owned by Glen and Lloyd Bishop. In conjunction with the formation of the Humboldt Transit Authority
Humboldt Transit Authority
Humboldt Transit Authority operates two transit services in Humboldt County, California:*Redwood Transit System*Eureka Transit Service...
, the city of Eureka assumed control of the bus system on January 20, 1976 and offered a week of free rides to promote the system. It also contracted Young Ideas Advertising and Sales Promotion to create an advertising campaign, logo, and new name for the new system. It was still operated by Bishop, however. Under this arrangement, the city subsidized operation and required Bishop to secure the city council's approval before changing routes or fares. In the mid-1970s, Bishop was operating two city bus routes with two Chevrolet Step Vans built in 1968 and 1973. By 1979, the city owned five transit vehicles and was operating three routes (see map). The fare was $0.25 with free transfer. On February 1, 1985, the city of Eureka began operating ETS independently, no longer contracting operations to Bishop. Over the next five years, the city purchased its first heavy-duty transit buses, 30' Gillig Phantom
Gillig Phantom
The Gillig Phantom was a transit bus produced by the Gillig Corporation in Hayward, California. The Phantom was first introduced in late 1980 and, with the exception of a small number of buses built in a three-year-long joint venture with Neoplan from 1977 to 1979, was Gillig's first transit bus...
s, and revised the vans' original yellow and red design to yellow, orange, and brown on the new buses.
Route restructuring
The ETS route system has undergone several major revisions since the city took over operations in 1985. In 1993, the city contracted J. Kaplan & Associates of Walnut Creek, CA, to restructure and market ETS, resulting in a four-route system. Three years later, the new Purple Route brought the route total to five, with three buses operating on Saturdays. Routes were again restructured in 1998 and the Rainbow Route was introduced as one of only two Saturday buses. In 2003, Bayshore Mall replaced Henderson Center as the main non-downtown transfer point, resulting in substantial route changes. However, this geographically removed transfer point significantly increased trip times, and in 2005 it was switched back to the more central Henderson Center in a major revision that eliminated the Blue Route and increased overall speed thanks to shortened trips.Red Route
Along with the Green Route, the Red Route is one of the original ETS routes, though it has changed considerably over the years. It currently services downtown Eureka, Broadway, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Cutten, and Sequoia Park. It starts service at 6:28 AM and ends at 7:00 PM.Green Route
At one time, the Green Route served as a shuttle between downtown Eureka and Henderson Center. It has since expanded to service Bayshore Mall, Silvercrest, St. Joseph and General hospitals, and Myrtletown as well. The Green Route begins at 6:37 AM and ends at 6:44 PM.Gold Route
Although newer than the Red and Green Routes, the Gold Route is perhaps the most stable. Despite revisions to the other routes, the Gold Route has consistently serviced downtown Eureka, Pine Hill, Bayshore Mall, and Henderson Center. It runs from 6:15 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays, and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays.Purple Route
The Purple Route services downtown Eureka, the Humboldt County Library, Silvercrest, General Hospital, Henderson Center, and Burre Center. It runs from 6:39 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays, and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays.Rainbow Route
The Rainbow Route, so named because it incorporates specific sections of weekday routes, runs only on Saturdays. It services downtown Eureka, Broadway, Bayshore Mall, Henderson Center, Sequoia Park, St. Joseph and General hospitals, and Myrtletown. It runs from 10 AM to 5 PM.Fares and Passes
| Regular | Youth (3-17) Senior (62+) Disabled |
|
|---|---|---|
| Cash Fare | $1.30 | $1.00 |
| Multi-ride Rate (regional transit pass) |
$1.00 | $0.75 |
| Day Pass | $3.00 | $2.50 |
| Month Pass | $37.00 | $32.00 |
Free one-way transfers are included in the fare. ETS offers a regional transit pass jointly with Redwood Transit and the Arcata and Mad River Transit System
Arcata and Mad River Transit System
Arcata and Mad River Transit System is a fixed-route bus service for Arcata, California. The service is subsidized by Humboldt State University and offers free rides to students. Because of this relationship, Arcata has remarkably good transit service for its size.The transit service operates 3...
in $10 and $20 values. Day and month passes are also available.
Jack Pass
The Jack Pass program, initiated in the fall of 2007, allows Humboldt State UniversityHumboldt State University
Humboldt State University is the northernmost campus of the California State University system, located in Arcata within Humboldt County, California, USA. The main campus, nestled at the edge of a coast redwood forest, is situated on Preston hill overlooking Arcata and with commanding views of...
students to ride Eureka Transit, Redwood Transit, and Arcata and Mad River Transit free with a student ID with current registration sticker.
Fleet
ETS operates an all-GilligGillig
Gillig Corporation, formerly Gillig Bros., is a manufacturer of heavy-duty low-floor transit buses located in Hayward, California. Prior to 1993, Gillig had also been a manufacturer of school buses.-History:...
fleet, with Phantoms from 2002-2003 (as of 2010, operating only on Saturdays), hybrid Low Floors from 2007, and diesel Low Floors from 2009. In 1998 the city council designated one bus as a Visitors' Bus that would promote tourism with a bus wrap featuring local attractions; this bus has since been retired. Since 2002, buses have been ordered in ETS's new red, white, and blue livery, each with a distinct swooping purple design, and all other buses were repainted from their original colors. In 2007, HTA joined a consortium of eleven transit agencies to purchase five diesel-electric hybrid buses from Gillig Corporation; two of these are Eureka Transit buses. The hybrids were also Humboldt County's first low-floor buses.
| Year | Unit | Make/Model | Engine | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 35 | 30' Gillig Phantom 96" | Detroit Diesel 6V92 Series 92 The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974... |
2004 | Visitors' Bus 1998-2004 |
| 1987 | 36 | 30' Gillig Phantom 96" | Detroit Diesel 6V92 Series 92 The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974... |
2007 | |
| 1988 | 37-38 | 30' Gillig Phantom 96" | Detroit Diesel 6V92 Series 92 The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974... |
2004(38) 2008(37) |
|
| 1989 | 33-34 | 30' Gillig Phantom 96" | Detroit Diesel 6V92 Series 92 The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974... |
2006(34) 2009(33) |
|
| 1993 | 32 | 30' Gillig Phantom 96" | Detroit Diesel 6V92 Series 92 The Detroit Diesel Series 92 is a two-stroke cycle, V-block diesel engine, produced with versions ranging from four to 16 cylinders. Among these, the most popular were the 6V92 and 8V92, which were V6 and V8 configurations of the same engine respectively. The series was introduced in 1974... |
2009 | |
| 1999 | 60 | 35' Gillig Phantom 102" | Detroit Diesel Series 50 Detroit Diesel 50 The Detroit Diesel Series 50 is an inline four-cylinder diesel engine, that was introduced in 1993 by Detroit Diesel. The Series 50 was developed from the existing block of its sister engine, the Series 60, which itself was initially designed by Detroit Diesel... |
2009 | |
| 2002 | 62 | 35' Gillig Phantom 102" | Cummins ISM Cummins M Series engine The Cummins M Series engine is a straight six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces . Introduced as the M11 in 1994, it was built on the previous L10 engine .In 1996, Cummins added electronic controls to improve efficiency... |
-- | -- |
| 2003 | 61 | 35' Gillig Phantom 102" | Cummins ISM Cummins M Series engine The Cummins M Series engine is a straight six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces . Introduced as the M11 in 1994, it was built on the previous L10 engine .In 1996, Cummins added electronic controls to improve efficiency... |
-- | -- |
| 2007 | 63-64 | 35' Gillig Hybrid Low Floor | Cummins ISB Cummins B Series engine The Cummins B Series is a family of straight-four and straight-6 diesel truck and industrial piston engines manufactured by Cummins. The B Series is known for displacing "one liter per cylinder" because of the popular straight-four and straight-six. A straight-four is also available... |
-- | -- |
| 2009 | 65-67 | 35' Gillig Low Floor | Cummins ISL Cummins L Series engine The Cummins ISL is a straight-six diesel engine designed and produced by Cummins. It displaces , and began production in 1998. The engine was based on its predecessor, the Cummins C8.3 engine.... |
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