The city of Irvine this week unveiled a free shuttle service city leaders say will provide residents with convenient access between homes, schools and workplaces.
Called Irvine CONNECT, the new service will be fully ready for community members to use beginning April 1. On weekdays, the shuttle will run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“This is the first city shuttle that focuses on residents and connects them from residences along Yale and Barranca to schools, parks, community centers, hospitals, Irvine Spectrum and Irvine train station,” said Mike Davis, the city’s transportation administrator.
The shuttle route will have roughly 70 stops, between Irvine Station and the northern end of the city, connecting residential areas to community centers, schools and retail centers.
Riders will get access to major destinations including Irvine Spectrum Center, Kaiser and Hoag Hospitals, Heritage Park, Woodbridge High School, Sierra Vista Middle School and Northwood Town Center.
Irvine CONNECT will operate on a 20-minute frequency, although arrival times could “fluctuate based on traffic, weather or ridership volume,” according to the city website.
Planned as a pilot, one-year program, the hope is to turn it into a permanent city feature, depending on ridership in the first year, Davis said.
Since 2008, the city has been offering to residents iShuttle, operated and managed by the Orange County Transportation Authority, as a link between the Tustin and Irvine train stations and Irvine employment centers. That shuttle is free for riders with a valid Metrolink ticket or OCTA pass, but $1 for those without during peak commute times.
The new shuttle service does not impact existing transit routes, Davis said.
“When we did the study for this, we looked for places that did not have transit service,” Davis said. “This is a new service serving new areas of the city.”
Irvine CONNECT differs from the iShuttle, Davis said,…
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