Sacramento Regional Transit Offers Free Rides and Holds Events to Celebrate 50 Years of Service

April 3, 2023 SacRT News

The Sacramento Regional Transit District(SacRT) is celebrating 50 years of service and is offering free rides and hosting a series of events for riders to commemorate the moment. 

Today, at a press conference, the agency displayed a new 50th anniversary logo and announced they are offering free rides every Tuesday during April 2023 on all SacRT fixed-route buses and light rail trains. Those dates are April 4, April 11, April 18 and April 25. 

"For 50 years, our dedicated, hard-working employees have kept this region moving by providing the most equitable, accessible and innovative public transportation options,” said SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li. “This is a milestone worth celebrating, and we look forward to celebrating with our employees, customers and community.” 

“SacRT has seen tremendous growth, especially in the past few years, and occasions like this 50th milestone are a wonderful reminder that great things are happening,” said SacRT Board Chair and Sacramento County Supervisor Patrick Kennedy. “I’m proud to be SacRT Board Chair during this meaningful anniversary and, alongside the Board and SacRT team, look forward to continuing efforts into innovative, environmentally sustainable and safe modernization of our system.”

“I join our Sacramento community in celebrating 50 years of SacRT! For the past five decades, SacRT has been a regional pillar, driving economic growth by connecting neighborhoods and getting Sacramentans where they need to be,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07). “In Sacramento, we know that we must meet challenges head-on and support a stronger, cleaner economy. SacRT has been leading the way for our community, serving as a gold standard for forward-thinking public transit programs. I know that in the next 50 years, SacRT will continue its positive impact to deliver for the people they serve.”   

“Happy 50th anniversary SacRT! Thank you for providing Sacramento residents with affordable transportation throughout the city and for your efforts in improving ridership experiences,” said Assemblymember Kevin McCarty. 

“Regional Transit is building on a legacy created over the last 50 years that will lead us into a cleaner and greener future for Sacramento. We cannot meet our carbon zero goals without the partnership, ingenuity, and dedication of SacRT and I look forward to them serving our neighborhoods for years to come,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
 

In addition, SacRT has launched a specially decorated 50th anniversary edition bus and light rail train, sponsored by Siemens Mobility and GILLIG, each of which provides an immersive experience for riders. The special bus and train feature interior decals with QR codes that connect to stories and videos about our history and achievements. 

Those QR codes offer insights into the early days of SacRT, why it was formed, and includes fun facts, including how the agency dealt with the OPEC oil embargo. It also includes insights into major changes SacRT has been making since the Great Recession to position itself to better serve the region as it grows. For those who want to know where that bus and train are operating each day, check the schedule at sacrt.com/50years 

SacRT is also hosting several customer appreciation public pop-up events at light rail stations and transit centers throughout April, where there will be giveaways and prizes. Those events will be held: 

  • Wednesday, April 5: 16th Street Station – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.  
  • Thursday, April 6: Arden Fair Transit Center – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
  • Friday, April 7: Watt/I-80 Station – 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.  
  • Monday, April 10: Mather Field/Mills Station – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.  
  • Thursday, April 13: University/65th Street Station – 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.  
  • Saturday, April 15: Historic Folsom Station (Farmers Market) – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
  • Tuesday, April 18: Arden/Del Paso Station – 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.  
  • Wednesday, April 19: Cosumnes River College Station – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.  
  • Monday, April 24: 13th Street Station – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

Learn more about this historic milestone and all the exciting ways SacRT is celebrating at sacrt.com/50years