FORT IRWIN, APRIL 18, 2012–Victor Valley Transit Authority has announced that it will begin public bus service from Victor Valley and Barstow to Fort Irwin. This six month demonstration project funded in part by a FTA Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) grant and a local match provided through San Bernardino First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt’s office will replace the NTC Express bus service which has run since the 1980s. County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt noted, “In the near future, need for transit to and from the post will significantly increase, when as many as 1,200 new hospital and water treatment plant construction workers will need to access Fort Irwin using the bus service. It is a privilege to make this service possible for residents in the First District to access existing and future jobs.”
Beginning Monday, May 14, 2012 VVTA bus service will begin with adjusted route alignments and schedules to be announced in the next few weeks. The purpose of the demonstration project is to identify if there is enough ridership on this new service for VVTA to make the change permanent. If there is enough ridership there is the possibility of expanded services in
the future. These may include access to bus service off the base into Barstow, the Victorville area, and down into San Bernardino to Loma Linda and Arrowhead Medical Centers with connections to Omnitrans.
Fares will be to $200 per month from Victor Valley and $150 from the Barstow area and will provide for unlimited rides an all VVTA bus service ($10 each way Victor Valley, $8 each way Barstow.) VVTA strongly encourages all DOD employees and active military to sign up for or continue their participation in the federal Mass Transit Benefit Plan by contacting
the Fort Irwin Mass Transportation Benefits Office at 760-380-3337 or 760-380-4614. This will provide them vouchers for $125 towards payment of the monthly pass. In addition,
other companies who employ workers at Fort Irwin should enroll in the Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit program whereby up to $125 per month is excluded from a bus commuting employee’s gross income for income tax purposes and from an employee’s wages for payroll tax purposes.
