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Thousand Oaks plans Jan. 2026 bus-network changes and six-route shift to support electric buses
Summary
City transit staff outlined a proposed bus-network redesign to take effect in January 2026 that shortens long routes, adds a sixth route, changes timing to reduce bus stacking at The Oaks Mall, and plans for opportunity charging as the city transitions to battery-electric buses. Staff said changes aim to raise on-time performance from about 80% to
Tyler Nesbitt, assistant transit planner for the City of Thousand Oaks, presented a proposed bus-network redesign Oct. 22 that staff plans to implement in January 2026 to improve reliability and accommodate the transition to a zero-emission fleet.
Nesbitt said the city currently operates five fixed routes from two primary hubs (The Oaks Mall and the Transportation Center). The network faces long route mileage, low-frequency deviations (notably a Dos Vientos deviation on Route 40 that averages about two riders a day), and bus stacking at The Oaks, where multiple routes converge at the top of the hour. The system's on-time performance (OTP) averages about 80%; staff target 90%.
To address those problems, staff proposes shortening some routes, splitting Route 44 to create a new Route 45, adding a sixth route to preserve coverage while reducing mileage per route, and adjusting schedules so that half the routes arrive at The Oaks at the top of the hour and half at the half-hour to reduce stacking and improve transfer opportunities.
The redesign is closely tied to the city's decision to adopt battery-electric buses to comply with California Air Resources Board zero-emission requirements. Nesbitt said shortening routes and adding a sixth vehicle reduces daily mileage per bus and creates opportunities for "opportunity charging" while vehicles are on layover. "Battery electric buses have a number of challenges for a bus network, primarily range issues," he told the commission.
Route-specific proposals included eliminating the Dos Vientos deviation on Route 40 (low demand, roughly two boardings daily) and splitting Route 44 so the east leg (to Westlake/Promenade) receives more frequent hourly service. Timing changes will move layovers from The Oaks to the Transportation Center for some routes to ease congestion at The Oaks. Nesbitt said staff will use public outreach (Rotary Street Fair preview, a travel-training event at the library, web and social media posts in November, printed notices in December and targeted school digital outreach) and push notifications through the transit app; changes will be posted in November and go into effect in January 2026.
Commissioners pressed staff on student impacts. Nesbitt said roughly 40% of riders are students and that recent grant-funded free-ride programs for Kâ12 and college riders increased student ridership significantly. He said transfers will be preserved and in some cases improved because splitting routes increases the frequency and transfer opportunities at the hubs.
No commission action was required; the report was informational. Staff said they will post detailed maps, outreach materials and schedules in November and conduct travel-training and printed-notice campaigns in December ahead of the January 2026 change.
