San Joaquin Regional Transit District

San Joaquin Regional Transit District
Overview
Locale	Stockton, California
Transit type	Transit bus, Paratransit, Commuter bus
Number of stations	Downtown Transit Center Mall Transfer Station Hammer Transfer Station Union Transfer Station
Daily ridership	9,700 (weekdays, Q3 2024)
Annual ridership	2,432,000 (2023)
Website	sjRTD.com
Technical
System length	San Joaquin County / 1,426 square miles (3,854 km2)

San Joaquin Regional Transit District (known as "San Joaquin RTD" or simply as RTD) is a transit district that provides bus service to the city of Stockton, California and the surrounding communities of Lodi, Ripon, Thornton, French Camp, Lathrop, Manteca, and Tracy. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,432,000, or about 9,700 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

San Joaquin RTD operates 26 local fixed routes to the Stockton metropolitan area, including five BRT Express routes, RTD’s Bus Rapid Transit service. San Joaquin RTD also operates seven Metro Hopper routes that provide fixed route and complimentary deviations for ADA certified passengers and five County Hopper routes that travel to neighboring cities in San Joaquin County. County Hoppers, like Metro Hoppers are fixed routes with complimentary deviations for ADA certified passengers. Finally, they operate Commuter services includes two routes that serve Sacramento and the East Bay (Dublin/Pleasanton’s BART station), with subscription service available for commuters.

History

BRT Express, formerly known as the Metro Express

In 1963, legislative groundwork began for the establishment of a public transit special district in Stockton, and in 1965, the Stockton Metropolitan Transit District (SMTD) began providing service for the residents of Stockton. In late 1979, SMTD moved operations from Grant and Channel Streets to its current Lindsay Street facility. In 1985, SMTD adopted the nickname “SMART.” In 1990, SMART began providing fully accessible fixed route and Dial-A-Ride services for the elderly and persons with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. In 1994, enabling legislation expanded SMART’s service area to the San Joaquin County border, bringing with it a name change to reflect its expansion – San Joaquin Regional Transit District, or SJRTD for short. That same year, SJRTD expanded its Interregional Commuter service to offer additional routes to commuters traveling to the Bay Area and Sacramento. In 2004, SJRTD adopted “San Joaquin RTD” as its new corporate identity and developed a new logo. That same year, RTD introduced low-emission diesel-electric hybrid buses via its “Flower Bus,” with a full-wrap sunflower display designed to complement the slogan “A Breath of Fresh Air.” At the end of 2006, RTD opened the Downtown Transit Center for the public, with a floor for employee offices. In 2017, by converting its route 44 to electric buses, RTD became the first transit agency in the United States to operate a fully electric BRT route.

Access San Joaquin

A consolidated transportation agency that was formed by local transit agencies and the San Joaquin Council of Governments in San Joaquin County, RTD was designated to be the CTSA for San Joaquin County. The local agencies that make up the board of the CTSA are:

• Escalon eTrans
• Ripon Blossom Express
• City of Lathrop
• City of Lodi Grapeline
• Manteca Transit
• Tracy Tracer
• RTD

Programs that are currently offered include:

• Centralized location for ADA Assessment for Paratransit (Dial-a-Ride) services for all transit agencies in the county.

Centralized location for Discount Fare Card assessment for senior citizens, people with disabilities and Medicare Card holders in the county.

• Access Pass (Formerly the FREEdom Program): Allows all ADA Paratransit qualified passengers to ride most fixed route services offered by transit agencies in the San Joaquin County. All passengers who have been certified through Access San Joaquin will receive a Photo ID card. Passengers will show this card to bus operators to board as paid fare.

• Discount Fare Cards: Available to those with disabilities and Senior Citizens (60 or older for residents those living in Stockton, Lodi or Ripon; 62 or older for residents of Manteca, 65 or older for residents living in Tracy and Escalon.

• Travel Training: Someone with extensive knowledge of the transportation agencies will work together with senior citizens and passengers with disabilities to learn how to use the fixed route systems.

• RTD Van Go!: RTD's own Ride Share or Mobility on Demand service, similar to RTD Go! Difference is that multiple passengers may ride in the same vehicle to different destinations. Currently serves the entire San Joaquin County The service hours are from:
  • 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Weekdays and weekends

• My Ride: A fuel reimbursement program for ADA certified passengers, for traveling to medical appointments in the San Joaquin County. ADA certified passengers can use this service option to choose their family and or friends to take them to their medical appointments. Passenger and Driver complete waiver forms, once forms are turned in, they are enrolled in the program.

For more information visit the Access San Joaquin Web Page

RTD's active rolling stock

BRT Express

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Fleet series	Quantity	Fuel	Image
2010	Gillig	BRT	40	1001-1006	6	Diesel hybrid
2011	Gillig	BRT	40	1007-1008	2	Diesel hybrid
2012	Gillig	BRT	40	12000s	6	Diesel hybrid
2014	Nova Bus	LFS Artic	60	14600s	6	Diesel hybrid
2016	Proterra	Catalyst	40	16400s	5	Electric
2018	Proterra	Catalyst	40	18400s	5	Electric

SMA Routes

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Fleet series	Quantity	Fuel	Image
2009	Gillig	Low floor	40	9000s	4	Diesel hybrid
2010	Gillig	Low floor	40	1400s	2	Diesel hybrid
2013	Gillig	Low Floor	40	13400s	20	Diesel hybrid
2016	Proterra	Catalyst	40	16400s	3	Electric
2022	Gillig	BEB	40	22400s	8	Electric

Hopper routes

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Fleet series	Quantity	Fuel	Image
2006	Gillig	Low Floor	40	6400s	4	Disel Hybrid
2012	Glaval	Titan II low floors	26	1700s	22	Gasoline
2020	Arboc	Spirit of Mobility	26	2026s	4	Gasoline

Commuter routes

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Fleet series	Quantity	Fuel	Image
2018	Gillig	Low floor suburban configuration	40	18000s	12	Diesel hybrid
2021	MCI	D4CRT LE	45	22400s	2	Diesel

Van Go Mobility on Demand

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Fleet series	Quantity	Fuel	Image
2016	Starcraft	Transit 350 HD	21	1600s	6	Gasoline
2019	Glaval Bus	Titan II LFs	21	1900s	14	Gasoline

BRT Express

BRT Express is RTD's express bus service and uses uniquely branded, low-emission diesel–electric hybrid buses that arrive at their stops every 15 minutes during weekday peak hours and every 30 minutes on weeknights, weekends, and holidays. BRT Express passengers are required to have a valid RTD bus pass or ticket to ride. Fare vending machines, located at BRT Express stops and the Downtown Transit Center (DTC), are available for passengers to purchase single ride and all-day passes. BRT Express uses the same fare structure and passes as RTD’s regular fixed routes and passes issued by the Fare Vending Machines can be used on any of RTD's regular fixed routes that operates within the Stockton Metropolitan Area (SMA).

The Downtown Transit Center (DTC)

Completed December 2006, the DTC at 421 E. Weber St. has three off-street bus lanes, two passenger boarding platforms, and a two-story building. Nearly all RTD routes connect at the DTC, which has 20 sheltered, off-street bus stops as well as additional street side stops on the north and south sides. The DTC building incorporates the façades of three historic buildings (Hart & Thrift, Bower, and Delta) on its front elevation. The first floor of the DTC has a waiting area, public restrooms, and a customer service center where riders can get maps and schedules, purchase fares, and make customer comments. RTD leases 2,100 square feet (200 m²) of retail space for a restaurant on the east end, and a police satellite station provides the DTC with two RTD-contracted police officers. A boardroom available for public meetings occupies the west end of the first floor and RTD administrative offices occupy the rest of the building.

On average, 6,000 people use the DTC each weekday.

All Electric Fleet arriving 2025

In 2018 RTD introduced their first all-electric bus route. RTD plans to have a fleet of all electric buses by 2025. The current fleet of all-electric buses as of today, are manufactured by Proterra Inc and Gillig. RTD will be receiving a hydrogen fuel bus from NFI Group in 2024 that they will be testing.

Route List

As of 2023 this is RTD's Active Route List

Stockton Metropolitan Area Service

Route	Description
40	BRT Express – Pacific Corridor: DTC – HTS
43	BRT Express – Hammer Corridor: Mariners – HTS – Holman
44	BRT Express – Airport Corridor: DTC – Hwy 99 Frontage/Boeing
47	BRT Express – Midtown Corridor: DMV – DTC – Eastland Plaza – Fremont – Franklin HS
49	BRT Express – MLK Corridor: Edison HS - Mariposa
510	Honor Farm - SJ General Hospital - DTC
515	Eighth - Lincoln - Boggs Tract
520	DTC – West Lane – Kaiser
525	DTC - Main & Gertrude
545	MTS – Quail Lakes - Pershing - Country Club
555	DTC – Stanislaus – Weston Ranch
560	DTC - Amtrak - Pixie Woods (Suspended during COVID-19)
566	HTS – Hickock - Spanos Park West
576	Wilson Way - DTC - Eastland Plaza - Sanguinetti
578	DTC – Pershing – Acacia
580	Oro - Wilson Way - DTC - B Street

Stockton Metropolitan Area (Limited Weekday Service)

Some routes operated on a modified schedule

Route	Description
315	Eighth - MLK Blvd - DTC
335	MTS – Cesar Chavez H.S. – Walmart
340	Franklin H.S. – Cesar Chavez H.S. – HTS
345	MTS – Kaiser – Morada/Diamond Bar
360	DTC – Stockton Auto Center
365	Kelly – Don – Otto (Suspended during COVID-19)
371	MTS – Cesar Chavez H.S. – Knickerbocker/West Ln.
375	DTC – CalWORKs – Hammer/Holman
378	Section/Oro – DTC – MTS
380	10th/Anne – Eighth – Franklin H.S.
385	DTC – Franklin H.S. – Hwy 99 Frontage/Boeing
390	Hwy 99 Frontage/Marfargoa – Franklin H.S. – DTC

Metro Hopper Service (Weekdays Only)

Route	Description
1	March Lane - Social Security - Quail Lakes - Robinhood
2	Swain - Plymouth - Meadow
3	El Dorado - Tam O'Shanter - Kaiser - Malls
4	Fremont - Malls - Pershing - DTC - Pixie Woods
5	DTC - California - Malls - Eastland Plaza
6	Bianchi - Hammertown - Inspiration - Lorraine
7	South Stockton (Suspended indefinitely)
8	Northeast Stockton (Suspended indefinitely)
9	Wilson Way - Waterloo

Weekend Service

Route	Description
710	DTC – San Joaquin – Manthey – County Hospital
715	8th – MLK Blvd – Airport – Mariposa
720	DTC – Cherokee
723	Stockton - Lodi (Suspended indefinitely)
725	Acacia – DTC – Fremont – Main
745	Malls – Pershing – Country Club
797	Tracy - Lathrop - Stockton - Manteca (Suspended indefinitely)

County Hopper Service (Weekdays Only)

Route	Description
90	Stockton – Lathrop – Tracy
91	Stockton – Manteca – Ripon
93	Stockton – Lodi
95	Stockton – Manteca – Escalon
97	Tracy – Lathrop – Manteca

Interregional Commuter Service (Weekdays only, excluding route 150)

Route	Description
150	Stockton - Dublin BART
152	Stockton/Lathrop to Livermore Labs (Suspended indefinitely)
163	Stockton - Sacramento

External links

• Access San Joaquin
• RTD Welcomes Greyhound to DTC
• National Express Transit to operate San Joaquin RTD services
• RTD Main Site
• RTD fired employees for Grand Jury testimony
• RTD Wins APTA Grand Award for Electronic Media
• Stockton Record, October 6, 2009 RTD Introduces Metro Hopper Service
• Grand Opening of RTD's Mall Transfer Station, April 23, 2009
• RTD's Response to the grand jury report
• Official Grand Jury Report
• Stockton Record, June 21, 2008 article detailing the grand jury report
• News 10, June 20, 2008 Interview
• Stockton Record, July 7, 2008 article about RTD's plans to increase fares across the board
• List of San Joaquin RTD routes and descriptions