Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System
Encyclopedia
The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, also known as YARTS, is a public transit
bus line based in Merced, California
. YARTS provides scheduled service into popular locations within Merced, Mariposa, and Mono counties, including Yosemite National Park
.
between Merced, Mariposa, and Mono counties. Each county provides an elected supervisor to serve on the governing board.
VIA Adventures, Inc. is a private charter bus company based in Merced and Tempe, Arizona
. Through a contract with YARTS, VIA Adventures handles most of the passenger traffic originating from stops along the Highway 140 route. During the month of June 2010, VIA carried over 9,000 passengers.
Mono County
Merced County
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
bus line based in Merced, California
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
. YARTS provides scheduled service into popular locations within Merced, Mariposa, and Mono counties, including Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
.
History
First proposed in 1992, YARTS was designed as a way to reduce traffic and increase accessibility to Yosemite National Park. In May 2000, after 8 years of planning, the bus line officially commenced service in Yosemite's neighboring communities. To date, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System has served over 500,000 passengers.Operation
YARTS is managed by the Merced County Association of Governments, and governed by a Joint Powers AuthorityJoint Powers Authority
A Joint Powers Authority is an entity permitted under the laws of some states of the USA, whereby two or more public authorities can operate collectively. Joint Powers Authorities may be used where:*an activity naturally transcends the boundaries of existing public authorities...
between Merced, Mariposa, and Mono counties. Each county provides an elected supervisor to serve on the governing board.
VIA Adventures
Although the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System maintains a proprietary fleet of motor coaches, the majority of passengers utilizing the YARTS service are carried by VIA Adventures.VIA Adventures, Inc. is a private charter bus company based in Merced and Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
. Through a contract with YARTS, VIA Adventures handles most of the passenger traffic originating from stops along the Highway 140 route. During the month of June 2010, VIA carried over 9,000 passengers.
Communities Served
Mariposa County- Catheys ValleyCatheys Valley, CaliforniaCatheys Valley is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It lies in Catheys Valley 22 miles northeast of Merced, and southwest of Mariposa, at an elevation of 1325 feet . As of the 2010 census, Catheys Valley had a population of 825...
- El PortalEl Portal, CaliforniaEl Portal is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It is located west-southwest of Yosemite Village, at an elevation of 1939 feet . The population was 474 at the 2010 census....
- MariposaMariposa, CaliforniaMariposa is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Mariposa County, California, United States. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census, up from 1,373 at the 2000 census. Its name is Spanish for "butterfly", after the flocks of Monarchs seen overwintering there by early...
- MidpinesMidpines, CaliforniaMidpines is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It is located southwest of El Portal, at an elevation of 2585 feet . It lies among the Sierra Nevada foothills of the central part of the state, 6 to 10 miles north of Mariposa, the county seat...
- Tuolumne MeadowsTuolumne MeadowsTuolumne Meadows is a gentle, dome-studded sub-alpine meadowy section of the Tuolumne River, in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is 8619 feet .-Natural History:...
- White WolfWhite Wolf (Yosemite)White Wolf, located in northern area of Yosemite National Park along Tioga Road , is a first-come first-served campground and concession area outside of Yosemite Valley...
- Yosemite ValleyYosemite ValleyYosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
Mono County
- June LakeJune Lake, CaliforniaJune Lake is a census-designated place in Mono County, California. It is located against the southern rim of the Mono Basin, south of Lee Vining, at an elevation of 7654 feet ....
- Lee ViningLee Vining, CaliforniaLee Vining is a census-designated place in Mono County, California, United States. It is located south-southeast of Bridgeport, at an elevation of 6781 feet . Lee Vining is located on the southwest shore of Mono Lake. The population was 222 as of the 2010 census, down from 250 reported as of 2000...
- Mammoth LakesMammoth Lakes, California-History:The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1500 people...
Merced County
- MercedMerced, CaliforniaMerced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...