Great News for our community! Vaccines are now available for Victorville Residents 65 & Over, and Victor Valley Transit has the free shuttle to get you there, the Vaccine Xpress! Don’t hassle with the traffic, let us get you there and back for Free.
Just make your appointment for Hook Community Center at sbcovid19.com/vaccine/locations and at least 30 minutes before your appointment time, come to our Transit Hub at 7th & Lorene and look for the Vaccine Xpress Bus Stop Sign, and one of our friendly drivers will take care of the rest!
As the High Desert continues to grow and evolve, how people utilize transit also continues to change. In the latest move to provide additional options and flexibility to their riders, Victor Valley Transit rolled out a new service, UMOTM.
Umo, a flexible suite of products from Cubic Transporation Systems, enables riders to conveniently pay fares and plan trips across public and private modes, earn rewards for riding public transit, and access real-time information to optimize their mobility experience.
Designed to give riders the ability to travel safely, seamlessly, and stress-free around their city or town, Umo simplifies travel by integrating all of their service area transportation options, from VVTA Fixed Route Buses to rideshare options, all in one place. Umo’s scalable platform-based approach is designed to benefit agencies of all sizes, from the smallest bus operator to larger towns and cities. As the areas that Victor Valley Transit serves continue to grow, the Umo Platform will evolve in the same manner.
“Cities are undergoing a paradigm shift for transportation, with COVID-19 capping a decade in which the transit ecosystem fractured into a complex landscape of new private modes alongside public networks,” said Mick Spiers, general manager of Umo. “With Umo, our vision is to improve quality of life in towns and cities around the world through optimized mobility. Our platform is accessible to all types of travelers and provides the tools people need to travel without congestion, without delays, and ultimately, without stress.”
Chris Ackerman, Public Information Officer for Victor Valley Transit, is equally excited about Umo. “I am most impressed by how our passengers can plan their complete trip in just a few seconds. You simply enter your starting and ending location, and let Umo do the rest! It will give you a variety of route options, with live GPS bus tracking, so you know precisely when your bus will arrive at your stop. On top of that, you have contactless payment options, reporting capabilities, and so much more.”
Umo: Your Travel Companion
Umo comprises multiple distinct travel solutions, each one a powerful standalone tool that becomes even more productive when combined with other offerings in the Umo platform. The first two Umo products, Umo App and Umo Pass, are already available for VVTA customers:
Umo App: A colorful, user-friendly experience with best-in-class multimodal trip-planning and fare payment capabilities all in one app. Developed in partnership with Moovit.
TouchPass, the previous platform used by VVTA, was purchased by Cubic and was completely redesigned and rebranded from the ground up to Umo. “For our customers who currently use the TouchPass Smart Card or App, you can still use this service for the next few months, but I am not sure why anyone would want to,” shared Ackerman. “There are so many great options already built into the Umo App, with more arriving in the coming months!”
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in the United States, CDC is implementing provisions of President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel and will require the wearing of masks by all travelers into, within, or out of the United States, e.g., on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ride-shares. The mask requirement also applies to travelers in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and seaports; train, bus, and subway stations; and any other areas that provide transportation. Transportation operators must require all persons onboard to wear masks when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel. Operators of transportation hubs must require all persons to wear a mask when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub.
This action is to further prevent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 and to further support state and local health authorities, transportation partners, and conveyance operators to keep passengers, employees, and communities safe.
Today’s order from CDC is part of a comprehensive, science-driven, U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One component of the whole-of-government response is taking actions related to reducing virus spread through travel. Transmission of the virus through travel has led to—and continues to lead to—interstate and international spread of the virus.
“America’s transportation systems are essential,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “Given how interconnected most transportation systems are across our nation and the world, when infected persons travel on public conveyances without wearing a mask and with others who are not wearing masks, the risk of interstate and international transmission can grow quickly.”
Traveling on public transportation increases a person’s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing people in close contact with others, often for prolonged periods, and exposing them to frequently touched surfaces. Face masks help prevent people who have COVID-19, including those who are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic, from spreading the virus to others. Masks also help protect the wearer by reducing the chance they will breathe in respiratory droplets carrying the virus.
“CDC recommends that non-essential travel be avoided; however, for those who must travel, additional measures are being put in place to help prevent the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Walensky. “Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely and consistently used by all people in public settings.”
CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.
On Friday, January 15 for one day only all stops for Barstow City Hall will be relocated to Barstow Library. This will affect routes 1, 2, 3, 6, 15, 28 and 29. Please adjust your travel plans accordingly.
Merry christmas and happy new year greeting card with copy-space.Happy snowman standing in winter christmas landscape.Snow background
As we gather to celebrate Christmas this week, we remind our passengers of our adjusted service times so our Operators and Staff can be with their loved ones. Please adjust your travel schedules accordingly.
Community members hand off boxes of toys to the Victor Valley Rescue Mission for their inaugural “Stuff the VVTA Bus” Toy Drive. Photo courtesy of the Victor Valley Rescue Mission.
On December 12th and 13th, Victor Valley Transit was honored to partner up with the Victor Valley Rescue Mission for a “Stuff the VVTA Bus” Toy Drive that was held in front of the Victorville, CA Walmart on Amargosa Road. Working in conjunction with area Walmart Management, this inaugural event brought in over 2,000 toys, all thanks to the kindness of the community’s residents, which included many VVTA Operators and Staff Members.
“Everyone at Victor Valley Transit was thrilled to partner up with the Rescue Mission. During such a difficult year on many levels, it was heartwarming to see our community come together and fill up our bus with toys that will be donated to High Desert children that may not otherwise have something to open this Christmas,” shared Victor Valley Transit Marketing Manager/PIO Chris Ackerman. “The Victor Valley Rescue Mission is such a wonderful organization that truly fulfills the needs of our community all year round. Merry Christmas to all who helped stuff the bus!”
Although this was the first time the Rescue Mission has done a toy drive event like this, Executive Director Bill Edwards could not be happier with the outpouring from our community. “This year has offered unique challenges and needs within our community but at the same time, it has shown the compassion and generosity of our High Desert Community. We are so grateful to be allowed to give these gifts to our young neighbors and friends on your behalf.”
Volunteers from Victor Valley Transit, Walmart, and the Victor Valley Rescue Mission working hand in hand to provide a Christmas for over 500 High Desert families. Photo courtesy of the Victor Valley Rescue Mission.
Along with Victor Valley Transit, the Victor Valley Rescue Mission also receives toys from organizations such as Santa Claus Inc, Community Action Partnership San Bernardino, Valley Food Bank, Desert Valley Hospital, David Dupree and Friends, Sparks of Love, Cemex, Archibald’s Restaurant, Raiders Booster Club, Apple Valley Women’s Club, Desert Mountain Children’s Center, The Beaver Family, and Happy Feet Sole to Soul. The 12th Annual Toy Giveaway will culminate at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds on Saturday, December 19. This Toy giveaway has over 500 pre-registered families for Toys for Kids from 0-17 years of age. The event will also include the distribution of Farmers to Families food boxes for each family. This will be “capped off” with some virtual family entertainment for guests as they remain in their cars and experience a contactless drive-thru event.
Victor Valley Rescue Mission, an outreach ministry of the Rescue Mission Alliance, provides homeless men with opportunities for addiction recovery, transitional housing, and job training and placement. Outreach services to High Desert provide unsheltered individuals with hot meals, clothing, blankets, hygiene items, a food pantry; and a direct link to hospitals, clinics, and other health-related and community-based services. The Mission hosts 3 food pantries per week and holds four major outreach events each year providing unsheltered and low-income High Desert residents, with Easter baskets, backpacks, Thanksgiving baskets, and Christmas toys.
Victor Valley Transit, the Victor Valley Rescue Mission, and the Victorville Walmart on Amargosa have already begun discussions to make this an annual community event, with the goal of making it much larger in 2021.
Left to right: Victor Valley Transit Marketing Manager Chris Ackerman and Victor Valley Rescue Mission Executive Director Bill Edwards have fun promoting the “Stuff the VVTA Bus” Toy Drive. Photo by Aubs.Victorville Walmart staff bring a basket of toys out to help stuff the Victor Valley Transit Bus. Photo courtesy of the Victor Valley Rescue Mission.Over 2,000 toys were collected for the Victor Valley Rescue Mission.
Beginning Thursday, December 17, 2020 until further notice, the following VVTA Bus Routes will be running on a modified schedule. Please adjust your travel accordingly and we apologize for any inconvenience. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call 760-948-4021.
Route 42 – Every two hours:
Northbound from VVC Temporary Stop – 7:30 am (First Bus) – 8:30 pm (Last Bus)
Southbound from Training Center – 6:29 am (First Bus) – 8:29 pm (Last Bus)
Route 40 – Every two hours
Northbound from Apple Valley Post Office – 6:00 am (First Bus) – 8:00 pm (Last Bus)
Southbound from Hwy 18 & Bass Hill (Walmart) – 6:31 am (First Bus) – 8:31 pm (Last Bus)
Route 47 – Every two hours:
Northbound from Bear Valley & Navajo – 7:31 am (First Bus) – 7:31 pm (Last Bus)
Southbound from Apple Valley Post Office – 7:00 am (First Bus) – 7:00 pm (Last Bus)
Route 33 – Every two hours
Northbound from Hwy 395 & Palmdale – 7:35 am (First Bus) – 7:53 pm (Last Bus)
Southbound from Bartlett & Greening – 6:05 am (First Bus) – 8:05 pm (Last Bus)
Route 54 – Every two hours:
Northbound from Victor Valley Mall – 7:04 am (First Bus) – 7:04 pm (Last Bus)
Southbound from Hwy 395 & Palmdale – 6:35 am (First Bus) – 8:35 pm (Last Bus)
Effective immediately for riders of Routes 1, 2, 3, 6, 15, 28, and 29: The Transfer Center on E. Buena Vista next to the Barstow Library has moved and is now located on E. Mountain View in front of City Hall. Please adjust your schedules accordingly and we apologize for any inconvenience.
