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Stanislaus RTA outlines short‑range transit plan for Ceres, proposes route realignments amid revenue shortfall
Summary
Stanislaus RTA officials told the Ceres City Council on July 13 they plan network changes — including shorter routes and new satellite hubs — to maintain coverage while cutting roughly 15% of service hours because of reduced revenue. The public comment period and board review will run through the fall.
On July 13 the Ceres City Council heard a presentation from the Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority as the agency moves forward with a short‑range transit plan that aims to preserve coverage while trimming service hours to match lower revenue.
"I'm Adam Barth. I'm the chief executive officer for the Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority," Barth told the council, explaining the agency's work since launching fixed routes in 2021. Angela Swanson, Stan RTA senior transit analyst and project manager, said the proposals would keep Ceres service "essentially unchanged" while restructuring the network to operate more efficiently.
Swanson said the agency is proposing shorter, more efficient routes that feed into satellite hubs so riders do not need to travel into downtown Modesto to transfer. She highlighted proposed changes affecting West Modesto and Ceres, calling out routes 29, 42, 47 and the express route 10 as key lines under review. Swanson said the plan is one way to achieve about a 15% reduction in service hours "without compromising service," by asking some riders to walk somewhat farther to reach more frequent corridors.
Barth and Swanson described the service redesign as driven by ridership trends and a multi‑year network review. The presenters said Stan RTA sought to balance maintaining coverage in rural areas with prioritizing frequency on higher‑use corridors; paratransit service within the Ceres city limits would be grandfathered and largely unchanged. They also said the agency is weighing changes to underutilized services (for example, reduced hours or more express runs on the East County 61 service).
Staff emphasized public participation: the plan is in a public comment phase and material is posted at connectthes.org. Swanson said the board will review refinements in September and the authority plans implementation next year.
Why it matters: Ceres residents use the Stan RTA network for work, education and medical trips. The changes aim to preserve core access while matching service to available funding; riders in lower‑use corridors may face longer walks to stops but could see improved frequency where demand is higher.
Next steps: Stan RTA will accept public comment through the summer and bring a refined plan to its board in September. The city council and transit staff said they will share updates with riders as the plan advances.
