Valley Public Radio reports that for the first time, public transit will be available between Fresno and Yosemite.
The lack of service has always been curious. The city re-branded the airport from Fresno Air Terminal to Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and added a fancy looking fake sequoia grove, but you needed a car to actually get to the park.
Starting this summer, $30 will get you a round trip bus ticket (including park admission) from Fresno to Yosemite Valley, which will complement existing service to Yosemite from Merced. There is also bus service to Sequoia National Park.
Once at the park, visitors can use the free shuttle system around the valley, hike, or hitchhike to reach places like Glacier Point.
While an exact schedule hasn’t been set, there will be four buses a day, Stops look to be planned for the Greyhound station, the Amtrak station, the airport, and likely a final Fresno stop around River Park. Additional stops would be at Highway 145, Coarsegold, Oakhurst, and Fish Camp.
Discounted fares will be available for trips not going all the way to Yosemite. That is, this will be a new opportunity to use transit between Fresno and the foothills.
You can find additional information on http://yarts.com/ , where the schedule will eventually be posted.
This is a much needed service, and I am sure it will be well used.
Opposition to the YARTS bus service from the Madera County foothill areas is why this route never started earlier. This article has a lot of information about the new service, including the history of the opposition to it.
http://www.sierrastar.com/2015/03/31/72429/buses-preparing-to-roll-on-highway.html
Besides the stops you mentioned, I've heard there likely will also be a stop at Fresno State. I've heard the River Park stop will be near the hotels located across from the Kaiser medical campus in north Fresno. But we will see if those two locations are actually on the schedule.
Great article. Wow at all the idiots quoted.
This opinion piece opposing the YARTS route was just posted today.
http://www.sierrastar.com/2015/04/16/72637/just-say-no-to-yarts.html