Since of June 10, Orange County Transportation Authority has come out with a new bus route.
This new bus route travels upon the same route as Route 43, from Costa Mesa to Fullerton. Although it travels on the same route there are a lot of differences that make this new line unique.
- The new buses from OCTA have a new brand, Bravo, with the catch phrase “Less stop. More go.”
- And like the slogan suggests Bravo! has less stops than that of bus Route 43.
- To make it less confusing they also gave it its own bus route number Bravo Route 543.
- Bravo buses also have a more distinct blue and orange paint job that set them apart from the regular buses. They are also shorter in size.
- Bravo buses only run Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and typically run faster in the morning than afternoon, 10 minutes apart compared to 15 minutes.
- The new bus route will shave about 10 to 15 minutes off your commute than regular OCTA buses.
Though there are a lot of changes, somethings have not. The price has stayed the same since the last rise earlier this year on Feb 10. One way trips are $2 and $5 for all day passes. Pre-paid daily, weekly and monthly passes can be used for any OCTA bus and riders would not need a different kind of pass to ride the Bravo bus.
Fullerton College student Sirina Chavez was excited at how convenient it is when she is commuting between home, school, and work because they run so often.
The Bravo route has also helped to clear up most of the passengers on Harbor Blvd. Not too many people are camped together like before.
“Harbor is our busiest street,” said bus driver, Kimberly Johnson. “All the tourists Disneyland attracts. There’s hotels from Chapman to Vermont.”
She expects that OCTA will put out more Bravo Routes as needed. Streets like Beach Blvd, 17th St and Bristol though no plans have been announced yet.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea and here’s why,” said traveler Cecilio Romero. “Finally there is a public transportation that can get people to work on time, because they deserve it.”
For more info on rising bus prices, see https://hornet.fullcoll.edu/?p=50
