Tens of thousands chose to skip traffic and parking hassles and save money by hopping aboard the OC Fair Express.
In all, more than 83,000 people took the non-stop bus service to the OC Fair during five weekends. Ridership rose more than 4 percent year over year.
The final weekend (August 10 & 11) set a record with 18,341 riders.
“It’s great to see so many people discover what a good deal the OC Fair Express service is,” said OCTA Chairman Tim Shaw, also a La Habra City Councilman. “And each person who took the OC Fair Express helped improve overall traffic conditions and reduced air pollution as they did it.”
The OC Fair Express operated from 10 a.m. to midnight each Saturday and Sunday, picking up fair-goers from nine locations across Orange County and then dropping them off at the fair’s entrance.
Five OC Fair Express pickup locations connected directly from Metrolink and Amtrak passenger rail stations. Riders used their valid Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passes to ride the bus service for free.
Riders also saved money. Regular bus fare was $4 round trip and riders received a coupon for $4 admission to the OC Fair – a savings of up to $10 off the regular entrance price. Bus riders also saved on the regular $10 parking fee.
The OC Fair Express service has been transporting passengers directly to the OC Fair every year since 2011. The service is funded in part by a grant from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), which provides subsidies for cleaner transportation alternatives.
Look for the OC Fair Express again when the fair returns next July.