Kern Transit
# Kern Transit

Kern Transit, formerly Kern Regional Transit, is the operator of mass transportation in Kern County, California. Primarily, it provides inter-regional transportation, connecting outlying regions with the city of Bakersfield (and with each other with a transfer in Bakersfield). It also provides inter-city transportation within specific regions. Kern (Regional) Transit is operated by the Kern County Department of Roads. The agency was founded in 1981. Its headquarters are located in Bakersfield.

In January 2017, operation of Kern Transit was taken over by National Express Transit.

## Routes

### Originate in Bakersfield

| Route Name | Terminals | Terminals | Communities Served | Connecting Services | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| East Kern (100- Lancaster via Tehachapi) | Amtrak Station Bakersfield | Lancaster Metrolink | Bakersfield, Keene, Tehachapi, Mojave, Rosamond, Lancaster | Amtrak California Eastern Sierra Transit Authority Antelope Valley Transit Authority | Runs everyday Route 100 runs Monday-Thursday evening services to Tehachapi. |
| North Kern (110- Delano & 115- Lost Hills) | GET Downtown Transit Center, Bakersfield College (Route 110 on weekdays only), Valley Plaza (Route 110 on weekends only) | Delano Community Center Delano (Route 110) Lost Hills Post Office Lost Hills (Route 115) | Bakersfield, Shafter, Wasco, Lost Hills, McFarland, Delano | Amtrak California (Wasco Station) Delano Area Rapid Transit (110 only) Tulare County Area Transit (110 only) | Route 110 runs everyday while route 115 runs only on Thursdays and Saturdays |
| West Kern (120- Taft) | GET Downtown Transit Center Amtrak Station Bakersfield | Taft Transit Center Taft | Bakersfield, Dustin Acres, Valley Acres, Taft | Amtrak California Taft Area Transit to Maricopa | Runs Monday-Saturday |
| Frazier Park Area (130- Frazier Park/Santa Clarita) | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield | McBean Regional Transit Center Frazier Park Post Office | Bakersfield, Wheeler Ridge, Lebec, Frazier Park, Santa Clarita | Amtrak California Santa Clarita Metrolink Station Santa Clarita Transit | Runs Monday-Saturday [Service to Santa Clarita runs on weekdays only and Saturday trips end at Frazier Park.] |
| Lamont Area (140 [Bakersfield North Route] & 145 [Bakersfield South Route]) | Greyhound Bus Station/18th St. (140) GET Downtown Transit Center (145) Bakersfield | Arvin City Hall Arvin | Bakersfield, Lamont, Weedpatch, Arvin | Arvin Transit | Both routes run everyday Evening service (140 [North]) runs Monday-Thursday to Arvin Route 145, on weekdays, only runs to Weedpatch, but services to Arvin on weekends. |
| Kern River Valley (150-Lake Isabella) | GET Downtown Transit Center Bakersfield | Lake Isabella Senior Center Lake Isabella | Bakersfield, Lake Isabella | Amtrak California | Runs everyday |

### Other routes

| Route Name | Terminals | Terminals | Communities Served | Connecting Services | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Boron - Mojave Route (240) | Inyo St & Hwy 14 Mojave | Boron Post Office Boron | Boron, Mojave, North Edwards | Eastern Sierra Transit Authority | Runs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays |
| Frazier Park Local (210) | Frazier Park Lumber and Hardware Frazier Park | Pine Mountain Club | Frazier Park, Lake of the Woods, Pine Mountain Club, Pinon Pines Estates | | Runs Tuesday and Saturday only |
| Kern River Valley (220 [Lake Isabella - Kernville], 223 [Lake Isabella - Bodfish Loop], and 225 [Lake Isabella - Onyx]) | Lake Isabella Senior Center Lake Isabella | Route 220: Valley View Dr. & Sierra Way/ Kern Valley Airport Kernville Route 223: North Rd. & Columbus Ave.Bodfish Route 225: Scodie Park Rd. & Cypress St. Onyx | Bodfish (Rte 223), Kernville (220), Lake Isabella, Mountain Mesa (225), Onyx (225), South Lake (225), Weldon (225), Wofford Heights (220) | | Runs Monday-Saturday |
| Kernville - Lake Isabella - Ridgecrest Route (227) | Tobias St. & Kernville Rd. Kernville Lake Isabella Senior Center Lake Isabella | Walmart/China Lake Blvd. Ridgecrest | Kernville, Wofford Heights, Lake Isabella, Mountain Mesa, South Lake, Weldon, Onyx, Walker Pass, Inyokern, Ridgecrest | | Runs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only |
| Lancaster - California City Route (250) | Mobil/Avenue J Lancaster | Rite Aid/California City Blvd. California City | California City, Mojave, Rosamond, Lancaster | Metrolink Amtrak California Eastern Sierra Transit Authority Antelope Valley Transit Authority | Runs Monday-Saturday |
| Mojave - Ridgecrest Route (230) | Inyo St & Hwy 14 Mojave | Walmart/ China Lake Blvd. Ridgecrest | Mojave, California City, Inyokern, Ridgecrest | Eastern Sierra Transit Authority RidgeRunner (Ridgecrest Transit System) | Runs on Monday, Wednesday, & Friday only |

## Hubs and connecting services

Bakersfield is the central hub for the inter-regional routes. Buses stop at the Downtown Transit Center (operated by Golden Empire Transit), or the Bakersfield Amtrak Station which is also located downtown, or both. Bus bays are used at the Amtrak Station, while none are available at the Transit Center. Buses instead park on Chester Avenue, in front of it. Depending on the route, Kern Regional Transit makes additional stops in Bakersfield, but are generally used either to board or discharge passengers (depending on the direction the bus is traveling).

Additional hubs are located in Frazier Park, Lake Isabella, and Mojave. Passengers transfer from inter-regional routes to inter-city routes that serve the specific region. Many of these routes were requested and funded by local governments, instead of operating their own transit system.

Some local governments have funded their own public transportation system, instead of relying on Kern Regional Transit. These include Arvin (Arvin Transit), Delano (Delano Area Rapid Transit), and Taft (Taft Area Transit). In addition, Shafter and Wasco provide their own Dial-a-ride service, which serves their communities.

## Fare and schedule

* Local Routes:

(140,145,210,220,223,&225) & All Dial-A-Rides operated by Kern Transit

General Fare: $2.00/Reduced Fare: $1.00

* Inter-Community Routes:

([100 not traveling through Tehachapi],110,115,120,[130 not traveling through Frazier Park],150,227,230,240,&250)

General Fare: $3.00 Reduced Fare: $1.50

* Cross County Routes:

100 traveling through Tehachapi and 130 traveling through Frazier Park

General Fare: $5.00 Reduced Fare: $2.50

Operating days vary greatly depending on the route. Most of the long distance inter-regional (100,110,120,130,250)routes run 6 or 7 days a week. However, some (227,230) run 3 days a week. Shorter regional routes (115,210,240) mostly run 2 or 3 days a week. However, some (all Kern River Valley routes, 140,145) run 6 or 7 days a week.

## Fleet

Because of the wide variety of demand for service in various areas, Kern Regional Transit uses a variety of vehicles. The fleet consists of 40-foot, 35-foot, 30-foot, and 21-foot buses which are used on scheduled routes depending on the number of riders.

All buses are equipped with wheelchair ramps, and offer bicycle racks. A portion of the fleet runs on compressed natural gas. The paint scheme is white, with "Regional Transit" in large letters in the center, on all sides. On the sides, a small "Kern Regional Transit" logo is directly in front of "Regional Transit", with the slogan "...your county connection" directly behind. Changeable signs, which list the destination city, are only on the front and left side of the bus.

## Maintenance facility

The maintenance facility is located on Victor Street, just south of Olive Drive in Northwest Bakersfield. It contains parking for the entire fleet, shops, bus wash, and cleaning facilities. The facility does not contain the headquarters for the agency. That is located in the Public Services Building on "M" Street.

