BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield's Golden Empire Transit is planning significant service changes for early 2026, including increased frequency on a popular route and a new pilot program connecting downtown areas.
At Tuesday's public hearing, transit officials presented plans to increase weekday bus frequency on Route 21, which runs east and west between California State University, Bakersfield and Bakersfield College. The enhanced service would provide trips every 15 minutes between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
"Well, it's one of our busiest routes, and to just move people faster, more efficiently, they've reduced the wait time," said Kathleen McNeil, marketing specialist with Golden Empire Transit.
The transit agency also introduced a new pilot route called T1, which would connect downtown and Old Town Kern. The T1 route would operate Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with buses running every 15 minutes.
McNeil said the goal of the T1 route is to connect riders with more businesses and support local shops as downtown Bakersfield continues its revitalization efforts.
"Downtown has been going through a revitalization and it's very impressive, and it's still happening, and so we want to be a part of that, and part of that is having transportation available to all these new places," McNeil said.
Residents who attended the meeting and submitted emails expressed support for the proposed changes. However, many emphasized that Bakersfield's growth requires continued expansion of bus routes throughout the city.
Golden Empire Transit officials report that ridership numbers have increased 39% over the past year.
"21 every 15 minutes is a step in the right direction, but in actuality, we still need a lot of improvement," one resident said during the public hearing.
The transit company will make its final decision at its next board meeting in November. Golden Empire Transit says the changes could roll out as early as January 2026.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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