Golden Empire Transit (GET) held a public hearing Tuesday to gather community input on proposed service changes set to begin in January 2026, including increased weekday bus frequency and a new downtown shuttle route.
Transit officials presented plans to boost weekday service on Route 21, which runs east and west between California State University, Bakersfield and Bakersfield College.
Under the proposal, buses would run every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., improving the route’s current 30-minute intervals.
The agency also introduced a new pilot route, T1, designed to connect downtown Bakersfield with Old Town Kern.
The T1 shuttle would operate Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with buses running every 15 minutes.
Several riders shared experiences and concerns.
Ethel Lieber, who has epilepsy, said she has relied on buses for 21 years and criticized Route 47, which serves the Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center, for running only every 90 minutes.
“People like me, I gotta go once a month, for the rest of my life, to get shots. Waiting an hour and a half for the next bus isn’t good,” she said.
Lieber also called for more frequent service on Routes 61 and 62, she said riders struggle to reach medical appointments and new residential areas.
Other commenters submitted emails in support of the proposals and suggested that GET restore pre-COVID schedules.
Some wrote that Route 21 had long needed to run every 15 minutes and that Route 61 should return to 30-minute service.
Others said the proposed changes would make it easier to rely on the bus instead of a car, adding that the system is convenient when trips are properly timed.
Ulysses Hernandez said he was concerned about bus drivers missing stops, which makes it harder for riders with mobility challenges to get around.
He said some drivers are helpful, but at times buses pass by him and his mother without stopping, which has made him lose confidence in the system.
“We need more time. We need more routes. Route 11 is a step in the right direction. Route 21, every 15 minutes, is a step in the right direction. But we still need a lot of improvement,” he said.
GET officials said an equity review found the proposed changes would not unfairly affect minority or low-income riders.
The Route 21 improvements were estimated to cost about $601,000, and the six-month T1 pilot about $410,000.
The board said it would review public feedback in November 2025, with the new services expected to begin in January 2026 if approved.
