New: Express bus service between Elk Grove, UC Davis Medical Center
(SACRAMENTO)
Elk Grove residents: Are you tired of wasting your time stuck in traffic on your way to and from work? With the new convenient Elk Grove Express Bus use your commute to catch up on email, watch your favorite shows or even just close your eyes. With Sac RT doing the driving, you can get your time back!
UC Davis Health has partnered with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to launch a new bus service: the Elk Grove/UC Davis Medical Center Express. The new bus route offers convenient service between the city of Elk Grove and the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
Beginning on Tuesday, September 5, the Elk Grove Express bus will operate Monday-Friday with six morning trips and six evening trips during peak commute times.
Why Elk Grove?
UC Davis Health provided funding to SacRT for the new bus service as a way to offer a convenient transportation solution to employees and students who commute from Elk Grove. About 12% of employees at UC Davis Health live in Elk Grove, making up the highest population of employees from one city. That’s over 1,500 employees commuting from Elk Grove to the medical center!
The route was carefully planned by transportation experts at UC Davis Health and SacRT using survey data and population “heat maps” to pick up at stops near the highest concentrations of employees’ homes.
The Route
The Elk Grove Express bus will pick up in Elk Grove at four key locations, plus convenient neighborhood stops along the way on Bruceville Rd and Laguna Blvd. From the last stop at the Caltrans Sheldon Road Park-and-Ride lot, the route will then run non-stop on Highway 99 to the UC Davis Medical Center in just seventeen minutes.
The bus will arrive and leave from the Medical Center at the corner of 45th and Y St (between the Marriott and Parking Lot 12).
The first trip will arrive at 6:15 am and the last morning trip will arrive at 8:45 am, with trips arriving every 30 minutes in between. In the afternoon, the bus will leave every 30 minutes starting at 4:15 p.m. through 6:45 p.m. headed back to Elk Grove.
Free for UC Davis Health Employees and Students
To celebrate the launch of the UC Davis Medical Center Express bus, SacRT is offering free rides to UC Davis Health employees between Friday, September 1 through Friday, September 8, 2023. To ride free, UC Davis Health employees simply show their valid ID badge to the bus operator when boarding.
Note: The Elk Grove Express bus will not run on federal holidays, including the upcoming Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 4. For more information, visit sacrt.com/ucdhelkgrove
UC Davis Health employees and students will need a Connect Transit Card from Parking and Transportation Services to ride for free after the first week. Affiliates can visit the Parking and Transportation Office at any time to pick up a Connect Card or stop by the Green Commuter table at any of their upcoming pop-up events (see below).
Employees and students who board the bus without a Connect Card from Parking and Transportation Services, after the first week, will be subject to pay the standard fare. A single ride is $2.50. All SacRT tickets and passes, and exact cash/change are accepted, including ZipPass. Note: if you have a Connect Card that was not issued by Parking and Transportation, you will need a new one from the office to get the free pass.
Green Commuter Program Events
The Green Commuter Program will be hosting two pop-up events outside the Education Building prior to the service launching to distribute Connect Cards and answer any questions you may have. Stop by their table on August 23 or August 29 anytime from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Elk Grove Express Bus informational pop-ups
Dates: Wednesday, August 23 and Tuesday, August 29 Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Location: Outside the Education Building
To celebrate the new service, Green Commuter Program staff will also be at the bus stop on the campus to greet new passengers as the exit the bus during the first week of service. Anyone exiting the bus on the first week can receive free coffee and grab-and-go snack!
Elk Grove Express Bus Welcome events
Dates: Tuesday-Thursday, September 5, 6, and 7 Time: 6-9 a.m. Location: At the Elk Grove Express Bus stop, corner of 45th and Y streets
