The OC Fair Express is on track to surpass the record-breaking ridership totals of 2012. After four weekends of service to the Orange County Fair, the OC Fair Express has recorded more than 45,000 boardings, which is a 22 percent boost over the same period last year.
The OC Fair Express provides non-stop bus service to the Orange County Fair from nine locations on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Bus rides are $2 each way and all OC Fair Express riders get a coupon good for a $3 admission into the fair. The coupon provides a savings of $8 off a regular, full price admission ticket.
Due to the success of the service last year, two new OC Fair Express routes were added for 2013 — Route 642 from Newport Beach and Route 657 from Orange. Additionally, frequency was increased from every hour to every 30 minutes on the most popular routes, departing from Fullerton, Santa Ana and Huntington Beach.
There is only one more weekend left to visit the fair and take the OC Fair Express. Service will resume Friday afternoon, and will continue on Saturday and Sunday.
The OC Fair Express is made possible in part by a $342,000 grant provided by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC). MSRC provides subsidies for cleaner transportation alternatives.