Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) Management Activities - 6100
Provide planning and administrative services, through contract, to the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) Joint Powers Authority, including oversight of all of the day-to-day operations of the transit system.
In 2010, over 4 million visitors made the trek to Yosemite National Park. Transportation demand for travel to and from the Park is tremendous during peak periods. In order to plan better public transportation, several of the counties that serve as access points to the Park have individually studied transit systems. However, recognizing the importance of working together and pooling resources, these counties have created a means by which they can more closely coordinate transit activities.
In FY 1992/93, Mariposa County proposed a long-range transportation study of the Yosemite National Park area. The concept of the study was well received. In FY 1994/95, monies were identified in the National Park Service budget for transportation planning around Yosemite National Park. In FY 1995/96, the committee requested MCAG to administer the study. Since that time, significant progress has been made on developing a transit plan for the Yosemite region. The YARTS Management Board implemented a Demonstration Project during 2000 and 2001. A Joint Powers Authority (JPA) was established between the participating entities of Merced, Mariposa and Mono Counties and the JPA selected MCAG to continue to administer the project.
Today, YARTS provides not only an alternative method of traveling to Yosemite for visitors, it also provides commute options for Yosemite National Park employees and for Mariposa County residents traveling to Merced, or beyond, for work, college or other personal destinations such as shopping entertainment and medical visits. YARTS stops provide a number of locations where riders can transfer to “The Bus” in Merced for further mobility, as well as making connections with Amtrak, Greyhound and Great Lakes Airlines.
For the past five years, YARTS has contracted with Amtrak to provide its Thruway service to Yosemite Valley and communities in Mariposa County. More recently, the Thruway service was expanded to include Tuolumne Meadows and the communities in Mono County.
Since the problems created by rockslides and detours in 2006-07, YARTS ridership has rebounded and produced annual increases. In 2009-2010, YARTS recorded ridership of 72,000 and an additional 10,000 Amtrak Thruway riders. In 2010-11, it appears that another increase and record may be recorded.
Completion of a Park and Ride facility in the town of Mariposa, using funds from the 5320 Program and ARRA, was accomplished with a ribbon cutting in December and is being put into use in January 2011.
The delivery of the first YARTS-owned bus in April 2010, also purchased with ARRA funding, set the stage for more progress in 2010-11. An order for three more new buses was approved by the YARTS Board in January of 2011 and the new buses will be delivered during the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
A YARTS Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) will be completed in the Spring of 2011, including a thorough redo of the YARTS marketing plan. The marketing plan includes all new signing, schedules and printed materials as well as extensive outreach efforts. Many of the provisions of the SRTP will be implemented in the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Other YARTS projects scheduled for the 2011-2012 fiscal year include the installation of electronic fare boxes on all buses and the purchase of automatic chains for winter service.
Discussions are ongoing regarding the possibility of YARTS service expanding into Tuolumne County and onto Hwy 41 between Fresno and Yosemite. Tuolumne County has completed their Short Range Transit Plan and YARTS is mentioned as a part of the study. No decisions have been made there about implementing the service.
In Fresno, the Fresno COG has completed a feasibility study on transit to National Parks (Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia). The study recommends that service be implemented to both parks. Fresno COG staff have indicated that they will recommend to their Board that YARTS provide the pilot service on Hwy 41 and that Visalia Transit’s Sequoia Shuttle provide the service on Hwy 180, if the COG Board decides to move forward with the service. No firm discussions have taken place about how the service would be funded at this time.
YARTS routes currently include multiple daily round-trip runs on the Hwy 140 corridor between Merced and Yosemite Valley and, also, one daily run between Mammoth Lakes and other Mono County communities, on Hwy 120 East from June through September, when Tioga Pass Road is open.
This work element provides funding for the planning, management, marketing and administrative services provided by MCAG to the YARTS JPA.
Previous/Ongoing Work:
Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Strategy- Tasks 1-3: Regional Setting, Existing and Future Travel Projections, Goal and Objectives, 1996. Refined Transportation Options, 1997; Short and Long Range Transit Plan 1998; Formation of a Joint Powers Authority; Short Range Transit Plan, 2003.
