Yolobus

A Sacramento bound Yolobus boards at the Memorial Union bus area.

Yolobus is a bus system for travel throughout Yolo County, as well as parts of Sacramento and Solano counties. For travel within Davis, Unitrans' routes are more comprehensive and frequent.

Yolobus travels to Sacramento, West Sacramento, Sacramento International Airport, Woodland, Winters, Southport, Bridgeway Island, Madison, Esparto, Capay, Cache Creek Casino Resort, and Dunnigan. For more information, check their routes/schedules page.

Fares: UC Davis Undergraduates ride free with a valid student ID. Otherwise, $2.25 regular, $3.25 express, $7.00 day pass, Other fares are explained here: http://www.yolobus.com/riderinformation/yolobusfares.php, http://www.yolobus.com/maps/Farebox%20Media.pdf and http://www.yolobus.com/maps/FareDecrease2018-_ShelterZip.pdf Age 5-18 is $1.50 (between June 1 and August 31, it is 35 cents, or a "Summer Sizzler" pass for $15 (valid on Unitrans also)), and seniors (62+)/disabled are $1.50 Exact change, of course. Graduate students must pay the normal fare. Sacramento City College students can also get a pass for Yolobus, Unitrans, Sacramento Regional Transit, and other public transit systems for about $10, depending on how many units they are taking.

All buses are equipped with bike racks, which hold two to three bicycles. They're actually pretty simple to use. Make sure the driver sees you and knows you're about to step in front of the bus when you go to load your bike. When you get off, remind the driver that you have a bike so he or she knows you're about to step in front of the bus.

Instructions for using the new fare boxes

Some drivers have suggested swiping day passes through the magnetic strip reader because the ticket slot sometimes jams and won't return your pass.

Veolia Transportation

Yolobus is operated by Veolia Transportation, a multinational corporation based in Paris and employing 72,000 workers.

Tips

• Yolobus serves Davis with twelve routes (42A, 42B, 43, 43R, 44, 220, 220C, 230, 231, 232, 242 and 243), however all except the #42 are express or commute buses which operate only during peak hours for bringing people to and from work.
• If you are trying to reach Woodland during weekday rush hour, the 242 and 243 are your best bet..
• The 243 runs from Shields Library and goes to the County Fair Mall and then the Spring Lake neighborhood in Woodland.  It usually is labeled "Woodland" and does not show a number.
   

There are two #42 circuits: 42A (the inner/clockwise circuit) and 42B (the outer/counterclockwise circuit). There are two 42A buses and two 42B buses (think of a Beryllium atom). They are timed to arrive 30 minutes apart. It takes exactly 60 minutes to travel between Davis Anderson@Hanover and Sacramento L@13th in either direction, with a full circuit taking 2 hours exactly. Thus, it doesn't matter which bus you take if you are going between Davis and downtown Sacramento. Beware that the last bus leaves Sacramento at 10:35PM weekdays, and 8:35PM on weekends.

• From Davis, Bus 42A is the most direct route to the Sacramento Airport (SMF) (42B back to Davis). It takes about 46 minutes, including the dead time at County Fair Mall. 42 Clockwise (42 A) picks up at the MU depot and proceeds up Anderson, just like the Unitrans G line, before leaving Davis. To get back, take 42 Counter-clockwise (42 B); pick it up at a "public transportation" bus stop, across the street from baggage claim at SMF (Sacto Intergalactic) terminals A and B.
• Route 220 can get you to the shopping area of Vacaville, but it only runs 3-4 times per day, so you'll have to plan.
• For people taking classes at the main campus of Sacramento City College, you'll need to transfer over to the Sacramento RT in downtown Sac. When taking the bus from Davis to Sac, get out at those first stops near L or J Streets and either catch the 62 RT bus or the Meadowview bound light rail, both of which take you directly to campus. Light rail is always quicker, but if you want to catch a bite to eat or something, the 62 heads down J Street until 19th, passing through the heart of midtown Sac.

2007-10-06 14:55:59   What's the deal with it having to say where it's going as loud as possible at 6 A.M., exactly? Wouldn't anyone who's actually up at that time already know where it's going anyways? —KokoSorensen

2007-11-04 19:20:52   You would be surprised how many people forget to pull the line for their stops...again I commute everyday...so i see it all the time. —ArianeMetz

2008-07-26 11:16:45   It would be great if one of the Davis supermarkets sold the monthly passes and express passes. Otherwise, if you want to buy a pass during non-business hours, the only option is driving to the Bel Air or Raley's in Woodland. I just emailed Nugget market to ask them to carry it. —MichaelMacIntosh

2011-01-01 15:10:26   Route 42 rocks! It is almost as convenient as SuperShuttle and the Davis Airporter. And who can argue with a $2 fare, much less a free ride for students. —GregKuperberg

2011-04-17 13:56:58   42 a is better —AliciaCardoza

2011-04-17 14:58:16   The air conditioners on the YoloBus are legit. That's one of the only reasons I take the YoloBus haha. —NikhilDahal

2011-05-26 22:40:14   Is the yolobus still free with an I.D. card even if it is not one of the buses that serves the Davis area? —Haylie

-It should be free for any Yolobus regardless of location. People do take buses to Sacramento and then transfer to other Yolobuses going somewhere else. —MaxLucas