Baldwin Park City Council on Sept. 17 approved a five-year transit services contract and unveiled a new micro transit service for weekends. The council cited a November 2024 transit study when agreeing to cut fixed-route fares from $1 to 50 cents while offering free rides to seniors and disabled residents.
Weekday Fixed-Route Changes
Under the new contract, Baldwin Park will continue operating five existing El Dorado buses on fixed routes Monday through Friday. Riders will pay a half-dollar fare for those trips, and seniors and disabled passengers will travel free. By eliminating weekend fixed-route service, the city aims to concentrate resources on weekday reliability and increased midday frequency. Service hours will remain as before: beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m. on weekdays, covering core corridors through the heart of Baldwin Park.
Weekend micro transit service
On Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., residents can request rides by phone or via an app under the new micro transit service. This demand-responsive transit model uses flexible routing to serve neighborhoods without fixed stops. Riders will pay the same 50-cent fare, with free travel for seniors and disabled residents. The city plans to launch the weekend service Dec. 1, pending vehicle delivery and staff training.
Contract and CNG updates
The council issued a Request for Proposals on Sept. 1, with submissions due by Oct. 2 and an award scheduled for Nov. 5. The RFP requires a contractor to supply four vehicles less than five years old, each seating seven passengers plus one wheelchair position. Proposals will be evaluated on compliance with RFP requirements, relevant service experience, staff qualifications and cost, which carries 40 percent of the evaluation score. A five-year term provides service stability while allowing for regular fleet modernization.
Councilmembers also reviewed the city’s compressed natural gas station, which opened recently but now needs repairs. In the interim, transit staff will use a neighboring city’s CNG facility. According to the Baldwin Park public transit page (https://www.baldwinpark.com/our-city/public-services/transit-services), the station is expected to reopen by late October. Councilmembers invited public feedback on scheduling, technology and service communication to ensure smooth implementation.
Implementation Timeline and Next Steps
With the RFP process under way, the council emphasized community outreach. Staff will host two virtual town halls in October to gather rider input on micro transit service features and app usability. If proposals meet requirements and vehicles arrive on schedule, weekend service could begin Dec. 1. The weekday fare reduction takes effect Jan. 1, 2026, allowing time for farebox reprogramming and rider notification.
City planners noted that shifting weekend trips to an on-demand model may reduce mileage on low-volume routes and shorten wait times. The council encouraged residents to sign up for service alerts via the city’s e-notify system and to test the booking app during its pilot phase in November.
