Measure K to fund free bus transfer pilot program, extend popular Vamos-EZHub mobility app to ’26-’27
Bus transit agencies in San Joaquin County and people depending on them to get to and from doctor’s appointments, school, work and other important destinations could be big winners with planned changes to how riders get around the county.
The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) Board of Directors at its Aug. 28 meeting approved funding for a free bus transfer pilot program for when a rider transfers from one transit operator’s bus to another transit operator’s bus. Participating bus transit agencies will have the opportunity to be reimbursed for transfers for their passengers to improve their experience and grow ridership.
The board also approved continued funding for the Vamos-EZHub Mobility app, a one-stop service to plan and pay for public transit in San Joaquin County and beyond. Vamos-EZHub users can also expect even more improvements to the mobility app, including real-time bus tracking, display of bus stop locations, extended Uber incentives, and improved user interface.
SJCOG will work with participating transit agencies over the next few months as they develop their respective free transfer programs to launch in 2026.
“Free bus transfers for intercity service – the service between cities – are a big step forward for riders in San Joaquin County,” Stockton Mayor and SJCOG Board Chair Christina Fugazi said. “These free bus transfers will make it easier, more affordable, and more seamless for people to move between routes and across the region. This is about tearing down financial barriers and making transit work better for everyone.”
Other board members agreed.
“The cost of a transit transfer may not seem like a lot of money to us sitting here tonight,” Manteca Mayor and SJCOG Vice Chair Gary Singh. “But if a person depends on transit and they have to pay for a transfer every day when traveling between cities, that can add up over time and become a burden. Removing that obstacle is important work done tonight by this board.”
Actions taken by the SJCOG Board will have far-reaching positive results well into the future.
“When we improve transit, we improve access to opportunity and we strengthen our communities,” Fugazi said. “The board’s actions show that we are committed to keeping San Joaquin County moving forward. As board chair, I’m proud to champion projects that make a real difference for our residents.”
Measure K, the half-cent sales tax administered by SJCOG for transportation projects in San Joaquin County, will fund the two-year free bus transfer pilot program to reimburse participating transit operators for the cost of the transfers. The program will build on the success of SJCOG’s Stockton Mobility Collective initiative made possible by a grant from the California Air Resources Board’s Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP) to enhance transit accessibility and affordability for San Joaquin County residents. One of the most popular programs funded by the STEP grant was a transit and mobility incentives program to provide qualified residents with debit cards to pay fares to the seven transit operators in San Joaquin County, Míocar, Bike Stockton, Amtrak, Greyhound, and ride-hailing services.
“I’m guessing everyone here has heard from their constituents who depend on transit about being unable to get where they need to be for whatever reason,” San Joaquin County Supervisor and SJCOG Boardmember Robert Rickman said. “These bus transfers eliminate one barrier for them. And, in the end, transit operators won’t lose money because they’ll be reimbursed. I think it’s a win for everyone.”
The program fits with SJCOG’s adopted transit goals, including the modernization of the region’s transit system and enhancements to the transit customer experience that make transit easier and more enjoyable to use. SJCOG will monitor ridership trends, program costs, user feedback, and more to gauge the impact of the pilot program.
SJCOG’s Vamos-EZHub Mobility app received improvements that allowed users to plan and pay for trips on the Stockton Mobility Collective’s carsharing and bikesharing programs, and Uber ride-hailing service. The STEP grant has sunsetted and now funding to continue Vamos-EZHub app through Fiscal Year 2026-27 will come from Measure K.
Vamos-EZHub Mobility app has already proven its worth with bus boarding and trip search data from throughout the region. There have been more than 13,300 downloads of the app, more than 3,600 active users, more than 34,900 trip searches, and more than 4,350 completed Uber trips.