Mountain Transit
Regional transit agency in California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mountain Transit (legally the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority) is the third largest regional transit agency in San Bernardino County, California. Mountain Transit serves the San Bernardino Mountain communities of Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, and Big Bear Lake, providing local service for more than 163,000 passengers each year.[5]
 | |
| Parent | Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993[1] |
| Headquarters | Big Bear |
| Service area | Big Bear Valley, Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, and Valley of Enchanment to San Bernardino |
| Service type | Bus service, Dial a Ride |
| Routes | 9 |
| Hubs | 2[2] |
| Fleet | 26 buses[3] |
| Annual ridership | 796,327 passengers (FY 2024) [4] |
| Chief executive | Sandy Benson |
| Website | mountaintransit |
Mountain Transit also offers Off-The-Mountain (OTM) service that enables the residents of the mountain communities to connect with major stops in San Bernardino, which include Metrolink, Omnitrans, Greyhound, St. Bernadine's Hospital, and other stops along the way. This service runs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from Big Bear, and Monday through Saturday from the RIM area. The Off-The-Mountain service allows mountain residents to commute to their jobs in the San Bernardino valley with two trips from Big Bear and four trips from Crestline/Lake Arrowhead weekdays.[6]
Mountain Transit serves an area of 269 square miles.[7]
Route overview
Fixed route
| Route | Terminals | Via | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Line | Big Bear Lake Knickerbocker Rd & Pedder Rd |
Big Bear City State Ln & Central Ln |
Big Bear Bl |
|
| Blue Line | Big Bear Lake Knickerbocker Rd & Pedder Rd |
Big Bear Lake Willow Landing Rd & Blue Jay Rd |
Lakeview Dr | |
| Gold Line | Big Bear Lake Pine Knot Av & Maryland Rd |
Big Bear Lake Paradise Wy & Mountain View Bl |
Big Bear Bl | |
| 2 | Crestline Byron Rd & Vista Ln |
Lake Arrowhead Mountain Community Hospital |
Hwy 138, Hwy 173 | |
| 4 | Running Springs Arrowbear Lake |
Lake Arrowhead
Mountain Community Hospital |
Hilltop Bl, Hwy 173 |
|
| 5 | Big Bear Lake Fox Farm Rd & Sandalwood Dr |
San Bernardino San Bernardino Transit Center |
Big Bear Bl, City Creek Rd | |
| 6 | Lake Arrowhead Lake Arrowhead Village |
San Bernardino San Bernardino Transit Center |
Lakes Edge Rd, Waterman Av |
|
| 8 Crestline Summer Trolley |
Lake Arrowhead SkyPark at Santa's Village |
Crestline Lake Dr & Springy Path |
Hwy 18, Lake Gregory Dr | |
| 10 Lake Arrowhead Summer Trolley |
Lake Arrowhead SkyPark at Santa's Village |
Twin Peaks Grandview Rd & Hwy 189 |
Hwy 18 | |
Fares
Mountain Transit offers both standard daily fares and discounted multi-trip and multi-day passes. Seniors, persons with disabilities, and veterans receive a discounted fare of 50% off. The fares also vary depending if the trip is local or off the mountain. If the fares are for Off the Mountain service, the extra fees apply.[8]
In 2021, local bus routes in the Big Bear valley were made free as a way to reduce congestion within Big Bear[9][10][11]
In 2023, bus routes in Crestline and Lake Arrowhead were made free as a way to reduce congestion.[12]
Governance
Mountain Transit is administered by a board of directors made up five members: two from Big Bear Lake, one member at large, and two Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino. It is required under the JPA that the board of directors meet at least one time each quarter of each fiscal year. Board meetings are held the third Monday of every month (except January* and February*) at 1:00 p.m. with location alternating between Big Bear Lake and Crestline. All meetings are held in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. Board meetings are presided over by the board-appointed chair. The board of directors is responsible for adopting the budget, appointing the CEO/General Manager, appointing a technical committee, establishing policy, and adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of business.[13]