Help Stuff a Victor Valley Transit Bus this weekend!
Bring a new, unwrapped toy to one of any five High Desert area Walmart’s on December 4th or 5th from 8am – 5pm and make Christmas morning a little brighter for a child who would otherwise not have something to open!
The first 200 children 10 and under who drop off a new, unwrapped toy and any of our 5 area Walmarts this weekend will get a present themselves for giving to others.There will be 200 coloring/activity books at each location and are on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last. One per child only who drop off a present.
This Saturday the Victorville Christmas Parade comes to town! While Victor Valley Transit will be in the parade, the following stops on Routes 55 and 56 will need to be missed along Seventh Street from the beginning of service Saturday until 2:00pm:
Victor Valley Transit officially announces the retirement of Facilities and Maintenance Director, Ron Zirges. He will transition from VVTA at the end of 2021 after more than two decades of innovative service and leadership throughout the Transit Industry.
Zirges was, and is, an essential part of bringing Battery Electric Buses to the Victor Valley, as shared by VVTA Executive Director Kevin Kane.
“Ron Zirges is the smartest person I know when it comes to Public Transit fleets and facilities,” shared Kevin. “It was Ron who led VVTA to be the first transit system in San Bernardino County to deploy Battery Electric Buses (BEBs). Now on the cusp of his retirement, he is leading VVTA into Hydrogen-powered battery-electric buses with plans for a Hydrogen fueling station in Hesperia and the procurement of multiple Hydrogen Battery Electric Buses. Again, the first in the County.”
During his tenure at VVTA, which began in 2009, Zirges had many accomplishments, including:
• Procuring a stable fleet. Ron took VVTA from an Agency with a variety of different types of vehicles into a stable fleet of El Dorado and New Flyer Buses,
• Ron was instrumental in the design and building of both their Hesperia Facility on Smoke Tree Street and E Avenue, as well as their latest facility in Barstow, CA, on Historic Route 66, and
Before joining VVTA as Fleet and Maintenance Director, Ron held various leadership positions in both the private and public sectors, including:
• Creating a Rural Fixed Route Service using ADA Buses for Riverside Transit Authority,
• Creating a rubber tire Trolly Service for the Hotel industry in Arlington, Texas, in just 30 days,
• Consulting for dozens of transit agencies around the country, and
• Leading and participating with various committees in the fields of zero-emission buses, maintenance, and Intelligent Transit Systems (ITS). These include The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the California Transit Association (CTA,) and the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalAct).
“It has been an honor to work in an industry I am passionate about and providing transit opportunities to commuters nationwide,” shared Ron. “I will now focus my attention on golfing, fresh-water fishing, and projects around the house.”A Veteran of our US Army, Ron served in the 101st Airborne Division as a Door Gunner, Helicopter Mechanic, and Crew Chief. Ron, who has been a mentor to many in the transit industry. Ron will be enjoying his retirement with his wife Susan.
On Saturday, October 9, the Apple Valley Happy Trails Parade & Street Fair returns! As a result, Routes 23, 40, 41, 43, and 47 will be on detour from beginning of service until 12:45pm.
The following Stops will be missed:
Stop #20000 Apple Valley Post Office Routes 23, 40, 41, 43, 47
Effective Saturday, October 2, 2021, Routes 21P and 21W will be on an all-day detour due to the Phelan Phamily Phun Days from the beginning of service to end of service.
The following Stops will be Missed:
Stop # 63060 Phelan Rd & Sheep Creek Rd (eastbound)
On Saturday, September 25 the Reverse Triathlon returns to Apple Valley! As a result, Routes 40, 41 and 42 will be on detour from beginning of service until 10am.
The following Stops will be missed:
Stop# 20053 Bass Hill Rd & Westlund Way Routes 40 and 41
Stop# 20095 Dale Evans Pkwy Nb & Hwy 18 Routes 40 and 41
Stop# 20096 Dale Evans Pkwy NB & Johnson Rd Route 42
Wednesday is the International Car Free Day, and Victor Valley Transit is taking part by offering fare free transit on all Fixed, County, and Direct Access buses (Route 15 and NTC Commuter not included) on Wednesday, September 22, 2021.
Car Free Day is a worldwide event that encourages greener methods of travel; meaning ways to get around other than driving alone by car. The purpose of Car Free Day is to bring awareness to the benefits of travel options such as transit, bicycling and walking. For those that need to drive, Carpooling and vanpooling are great options too, as they are both lighter on the wallet and the environment than driving alone in a car.
Reduce your Carbon Footprint
Using more sustainable ways to get around helps reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion. The more people who travel using bicycles, buses, trains, carpools and vanpools, the fewer pollutants are released into the atmosphere.
Please take the pledge to be car free on Wednesday and ride Victor Valley Transit for FREE!
The TSA has made the decision to extend the face mask requirement for riders of public transit through January 18, 2022. We understand this may be frustrating for some and great news for others, but no matter where you stand, we thank you for continuing to wear your mask when you ride Victor Valley Transit.
Official Statement from the TSA:
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is extending the face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States, including at airports, onboard commercial aircraft, on over-the-road buses, and on commuter bus and rail systems through January 18, 2022.
On January 31, TSA announced the initial face mask requirement with an expiration date of May 11. On April 30, TSA announced an extension to the face mask requirement through September 13, 2021.
Airline travelers should check with their airline on additional inflight restrictions prior to taking their trip. All commuters and travelers should check with the CDC website for additional guidance. Exemptions to the face mask requirement for travelers under the age of 2 years old and those with certain disabilities as well as civil penalty fines will also remain in place.
Travelers with questions regarding airport security screening procedures may send a message via Facebook or Twitter to @AskTSA for live assistance from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on weekdays or 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekends/holidays. Individuals who require screening assistance due to a disability, medical condition or other special circumstance may contact TSA Cares at least 72 hours in advance of their flight by calling (855) 787-2227. For additional information about TSA procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of our “Stay Healthy. Stay Secure.” campaign, visit tsa.gov/coronavirus.
