Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a Question to see the answer...
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How do I know when there are changes to a route, bus stop, schedule, etc.
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What happens when I make a complaint against a coach operator?
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If I call to compliment a coach operator, will the coach operator be informed of my compliment?
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What happens to my suggestion for expanding bus service/adding additional service/new service?
How do I get bus information?
Bus route information can be obtained via our web site at www.omnitrans.org. Simply use the Trip Planner on our home page.
Bus Books containing all route and schedule information can be found on all Omnitrans buses and at numerous locations throughout San Bernardino County.
If you need further information about routes and schedules, please call our toll free number: 1-800-966-6428. This number is staffed Monday to Friday 7am to 8pm and weekends (Saturday – Sunday) 7am to 6pm.
What do I need to know when riding the bus?
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Arrive at the bus stop at least 10 minutes early. Be standing at the stop, ready to board, when the bus arrives.
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Have exact fare ready. Fare boxes accept coins and dollar bills but do not make change. You may also show your monthly pass or day pass which are easier to use and save you money. Show proper identification if using a Senior & Disabled Pass each time you enter a bus.
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Board the bus through the front doors.
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Please keep front seats available for disabled persons and senior citizens. Please move from a front seat to allow a disabled person or senior citizen to sit there if requested by the coach operator.
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As your stop approaches, ring the chime or pull the signal cord located along the inside windows. This signals the driver to stop at the next bus stop. Be sure to ring in sufficient time to allow driver to stop safely.
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Exit through the rear door. Hold onto the yellow tapes to ensure that the doors stay open. Please allow small children to exit first.
- Please be aware of the following while on the
bus:
- No smoking on the bus.
- No eating or drinking on the bus.
- Service animals are allowed to accompany persons with disabilities; however, the animal must be secured.
- All radios, cassettes and compact disc players must be used with earphones.
How do I know when there are changes to a route, bus stop, schedule, etc.
Changes to bus routes are posted directly at affected stops along the routes. Information regarding stops which are being changed or discontinued, as well as detour information, is also posted at bus stops.
Schedule changes and other information important for the public is printed on Riders Alerts. These Alerts, in English and Spanish, are printed on brightly colored paper, usually yellow, and inserted in holders inside buses. Riders' Alert information can also be found on the Omnitrans web site.
I was across the street and the bus pulled away before I was able to get to the stop. Shouldn't the driver have waited for me?
Omnitrans stresses the importance of customers being at bus stops, ready to board the bus before it arrives. This way, the coach operator can remain on schedule, and customers will be delivered to their destinations on time.
There are several reasons why a driver may not wait for a customer before leaving a bus stop. Oftentimes, the operator is not aware that a person on the other side of the street wishes to board his/her bus. Additionally, there is a safety issue involved in customers running across streets to catch a bus. Once a driver pulls away from a bus stop, he/she is not permitted to pull back.
Why do I need to show proof of age/disability to a coach operator every time I board the bus when it is obvious that I am elderly or disabled?
When Omnitrans initiated the sale of day passes on buses, a policy was established to ensure that only those individuals entitled to receive a reduced fare actually paid the reduced fare amount.
All individuals, regardless of physical appearance, may be asked to present proof of their disability/age when requesting reduced fare. This policy ensures all customers are treated equally and it is not left up to the coach operator to determine if a customer is elderly or disabled.
What happens when I make a complaint against a coach operator?
A Service staff staff person inputs the information from your complaint into a computer system for record-keeping purposes. The computer system also automatically designates which of the field supervisors the complaint will go to for a response
The field supervisor speaks to the coach operator regarding the complaint and appropriate action is taken. A response to the complaint is then sent to Customer Service. Customer Service will get back in touch with the customer if the customer requested a phone call, letter, or email when making the complaint.
If I call to compliment a coach operator, will the coach operator be informed of my compliment?
If you call, write or email us concerning a positive experience you have had with a coach operator, that operator will be acknowledged by the Supervisor at his/her bus division for providing excellent customer service.
Why do I have to give my name, address and phone number when I make a complaint or suggestion to Customer Service?
In order for Customer Service to get back in touch with you should you request a response, your name and address or telephone number is needed.Your contact information is kept confidential and not released to any other employees.
Providing this information also lends credibility to your communication. Omnitrans does not formalize complaints without contact information.
Why won't a coach operator force someone to move from the reserved seating in the front of the bus when someone who is disabled needs that seat?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), coach operators must "request" that a passenger move from the front seats designated for the disabled, but may not "force" the passenger to do so.
If you are elderly or disabled and need to sit in the front seats, and those seats are occupied, please talk to the coach operator who will then request the occupants of those seats move to other seats. Keep in mind that the individual(s) already occupying those seats may be elderly or disabled as well.
Will all sizes of wheelchairs fit on all Omnitrans buses?
All Omnitrans buses are accessible to persons with disabilities.
However, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has set guidelines for the size and weight of mobility devices which can be transported on public transit vehicles. Omnitrans cannot transport devices which exceed these guidelines because the bus lifts are not designed to hold additional weight, and also because of the physical problems which could be sustained by coach operators accommodating devices in excess of the guidelines.
ADA guidelines define a "common wheelchair" as a device no larger than 30 inches wide and 48 inches long when measured two inches above the ground. Additionally, the combined weight of the wheelchair and occupant cannot exceed 600 pounds.
What is the procedure for boarding my bike on the bus and being sure I get my bike off the bus when I disembark?
Have your bike ready to go when the bus approaches. Be certain you have already removed water bottles, air pumps, and other loose items that might fall off.
Let the bus driver know you are going to put your bike on the rack. Then load your bike onto the rack. When you board the bus, let the driver know where you will be exiting.
For your safety and convenience, when you exit the bus, please tell the coach operator that you will be removing your bike from the bike rack. If your bike is the only one on the rack when you remove it, please put the bike rack in the upright position. You only need one hand to fold or unfold the bike rack.
How do I get an item back that I left on the bus?
Please check with Lost and Found the following business day to see if your item has been turned in. The phone number for Lost and Found is 1-800-966-6428.
You will need to provide a detailed description of the item that was lost, when it was lost, the bus route number, direction you were traveling and time you boarded the bus.
What happens to my suggestion for expanding bus service/adding additional service/new service?
These suggestions are forwarded to the Omnitrans Planning Department for review. Service changes occur three times per year – in January, late April and September. Changes are made based on requests by customers and available resources.