Sacramento Regional Transit District

If i could give no stars, I would.
I dont care if this is sacramento, but this is horrible service and NO CHILL.
My friends and I were riding the route 30 bus and as I got on, the driver scolded me saying if I dont have my onecard inside my yellow sac state commuter slip, I cant get on. He literally told me, get off the bus.
We had to take the bus back home, guess who was the driver? Yeah same guy. We got on and my friend played a snapchat video without earphones. First of all, this is a public bus and Ive seen buses with rowdy people and drivers never say anything. He told us to use our earphones or get off the bus. The video wasn’t even super loud.
What kind of service is that? Workers are always taught to treat customers with respect and with his words, they weren’t nice at all. If you don’t like your fucking job, quit. Ruining peoples day isn’t part of what you need to do during your work hours.
I hate riding the bus already. It comes too slow and this guy just put me in a very bad mood. Bus drivers have to remember theyre representing a company and the rest of the bus drivers. I hope I never get on the bus with this stupid bus driver EVER AGAIN.

Can’t I just write a sentence with the words «meh» and «blah» and let that suffice as a review? I can’t? Ok fine.
SacRT does serve as A WAY to get around Sacramento. It does. The level of convenience has varied for me. Once, when I was a college gal, it was absolutely free and who can complain about that? Sac State kids, get your commuter sleeves every semester for your school ID cards.
It’s a way but it’s not the best way, especially not with lyft nestling into town nicely. I feel like safety and cleanliness on SacRT has swiftly slid downhill in the last five years. It’s even worse than BART these days, and THAT is saying something. More creeps per ride per week, on average, than BART as well. I don’t ride this past dusk unless I absolutely have to, and I am on the lookout for possible trouble the whole time. Trouble and smells. And stains. And weird objects. Eesh. Hand sanitizer is a must.

Staffs crappy attitudes, dirty rail cars and smelly stations, standing room only (because they went to two cars) did I mention chemically enhanced riders that makes you reach for the pepper spray (just in case).
Sac RT makes the decision easy to carpool, or heck, just drive in alone… But I will say they’ve earned at least one star, they must be doing something right, they’re still in business (yeah, that was sarcasm).

I prefer to take public transportation to work so I don’t have to drive in traffic. This system in unreliable. Often running late by 5 to 15 minutes andFrequent shutdowns. Train carts are dirty. Stations are dirty. Always crowded trains. Rarely see security check tickets or even get on the trains. Total failure

I’d give them less stars if I could. It seems that RT can’t get the 93 bus to the light rail station on time for passengers to catch the train downtown and be at work by 8AM. Take an earlier you say? That’s an hour earlier — that’s right, during commuter hours the 93 bus only comes once an hour (if it shows up at all) and then once everyone is at work, it switches to once every half an hour. Want to go somewhere after work? Tough luck, because the last bus during the weekdays is before 10PM and on weekends it doesn’t run past 7:06PM. This morning (the first business day of the new schedule) our bus didn’t show up at 7:05AM, it showed up at 7:32AM — with no explanation or apology. You can’t even call to find out what’s going on because you either have a half hour phone wait, or they don’t know (or care) what the problem is. As some one else put it — you suck RT!

Whenever I flip through the pages of Sacramento News & Review, the Sac RT full-​page advert annoys me to no end.
It features an attractive Asian woman and the caption reads, «The Blue Line is my Social Network Line.» It goes on to state, «RT is my direct line to my scene. With Light Rail, I can text friends and tweet about the perfect spot to meet up. And, when I’m ready to head home, I can leave the driving to someone else.» Aside from the obvious that RT is an inefficient and unreliable public transit system, this advertisement is a desperate and pathetic attempt to appeal to the 20-​something, college educated, hipster crowd. Let me get this straight: Sac RT has limited funding; its public transit system doesn’t run on-​time; and its bus engines have been known for breaking down unexpectedly (Customer service advocate Sharon Cohen has admitted this happens) – so they decide to take out a mass advertising campaign to compel more people to ride their public transit system?
An attractive, petite, well-​dressed Asian woman riding light rail late at night all by herself? She better bring a can of mace.

I have always wanted to write to Sac Regional Transit. I don’t use public transportation, but thank goodness it’s there for those who need it.
My issue is, as a driver who is downtown almost everyday, time and time again I am forced into the other lane to avoid being side swiped by a RT bus. Really! For some reason your bus drivers, not all but most, drive like they own the street. I find myself having to use my defensive driving skills when I’m downtown to avoid being hit by a RT bus. Maybe the drivers are careless because it’s not their bus and if there’s an accident, it’s not their dollar?
So, if RT actually reads this they can pass this message on to their drivers. We all are in our vehicles to get from point A to point B and a little more patience and respect from all of us will make downtown a little easier to navigate.

Service sucks and its inconsistent one day there early and another day there late… A couple times they would pass me up while waiting at the bus stop… If you expect people to continue to use your service please retrain your bus drivers!!!

You can rate the lightrail system as a whole? Whaaaat?
I love the idea of safe, clean, affordable, reliable public transportation, but this is not it.
1) Service to Sunrise goes until after midnight, while the last train arrives to Folsom at 7:30 p.m. Apparently someone decided that only state employees need to take the lightrail to Folsom (no waiters, retail employees, etc.), and none of them want to go to happy hour after work on Friday, or anything. So I scramble to buy what I need from Downtown Plaza and then maybe grab one drink with a friend before running to the train that leaves downtown at 6:22, only to find that the train is PACKED, sometimes to the point that passengers with bikes are not even allowed on. There is no WAY it wouldn’t be profitable to go to Folsom until at least 8:30, at least on Fridays.
2) The fare is $ 2.50 no matter how far you go, and is non-​transferable to buses. Yet, if I transfer from one bus to another, I only have to pay one fare. How does that make any sense at all? So, for example, if I wanted to go from Folsom to Sunrise Mall, I would either have to buy a daily pass for $ 6, or pay $ 10 in fare. Mind you– the daily pass IS transferable. What?! Lightrail passes should transfer to buses, and vice versa, and there should be discounted fares for those who are only going one or two stops down. You know, the way it is in every other city.
3) Safety is a major issue. On the few occasions that I took the Sunrise train instead of the Folsom train and got stuck in Rancho Cordova, I have actually had to so much as show my pepper spray to men who harassed me while I waited for the next train– and I feel lucky that it has never gone further than that. I have seen a man play with a razor in the front seat of the train while talking loudly to himself about God for an hour, and I’ve seen groups of thugs get on the train at Zinfandel, beat the crap out of a seemingly innocent passenger, and then jump off at Cordova Town Center and run, and nothing was done about it. I had my daughter with me when this happened and all I could do was hold her face into my chest and hope we didn’t get noticed. If I’m being charged $ 2.50 to go two miles, can I at least get some security to go with it?
4) The honor system of payment is pretty out-​dated. Everyone knows that 98% of the time, the only way you’re going to get your ticket checked on the Gold Line is if there are police at Iron Point– and then all you have to do is look out the window and get off at that stop if you see cops ready to board. Considering how many people know this and get away without ever paying, wouldn’t it make more sense to pay someone $ 12 an hour to ride the lightrail and check tickets all day? I’m sure there’s someone out there willing to take that job.
5) Cleanliness is non-​existent. When I rode the lightrail in Seattle last year, I couldn’t get over the fact that it was possible for a city train to be as clean inside as, for example, the Amtrak. Again, there has to be someone out there willing to take that $ 12/​hour job… It is honestly a challenge to find a seat on the Gold Line that is clean enough to sit in.
6) System outages could not be dealt with in a worse manner. The most information you get is, «Gold line trains possibly delayed by 15 minutes.» What does this mean? Is there an accident? Where is the accident? Will I be able to get where I’m going on time? Shuttle drivers NEVER have any information other than, «I’m driving in a circle around Folsom.» Where do I go to get picked up? What time will you be back around? No one knows, ever. Even worse, when the line is blocked due to, say, a rally at the capital, they just drop you off five stops early with no warning or explanation. The staff is RUDE. I once had a driver literally scream at me for not hearing his announcement because I had headphones in. I’m sorry– is it illegal to be entertained while I’m just sitting here for an hour? What if I were deaf? Then what would you do?

I currently do not own a vehicle. Sadly. And so I’ve been using the Sacramento RT. Now, I’m not the biggest bus rider, so I like the fact that it’s rather simple. They are usually on time, and every bus driver I have had has had a great personality. That says a lot in my opinion.
Now, on the other hand, there have been incidents where I’ve been passed by, the bus has been late, and sometimes (During school hours) it’s gets too crowded.
Overall, I think that the service is fantastic, and public transportation isn’t for everyone. Thank you RT for getting me where I need to go!

If I could give less than one star, I would. Not for the system as a whole, but for the complete lack of light rail guards on some trains and their pathetic excuse for a Customer Advocacy Department.
I was recently verbally assaulted and sexually harrassed on a Blue Line train by a group of men because I did not respond positively to a sexual remark one had made, and he then turned his talking to me into a rap of sorts. I stood there taking the disgusting things he was saying to/​about me and got off the train at the next stop. This is to be expected to some degree, and I’ve been sexually harrassed a number of times while using Regional Transit but this situation turned very hurtful and the fact that there was no guard on the train to intervene (not that I’m sure they would have anyways from what I’m reading in other reviews), made me feel like I should say SOMETHING. So once I had cooled down I composed a detailed complaint regarding what had happened and the lack of guards. Later in the day I got a very generic email response saying an incident report has been filed. No apologies for their poor service, no apologies for my horrible experience on their train.
An «I apologize on behalf of Regional Transit» really wouldn’t have taken much effort, and if RT doesn’t feel the need to apologize when someone is sexually harrassed while using their services (which is honestly the impression I am under as of right now), then I am saddened that any of my tax dollars go to support them. Even just an «I’m sorry you had this experience» would have been better than what I got, and it wouldn’t have been accepting any sort of fault at all. I know it is easy to copy and paste a canned reply to someone, but it is also very, very obvious. Thank you Regional Transit for absolutely nothing, I have lost all faith in your Customer Advocacy Department and will voice that opinion anytime your organization comes up in conversation or anytime someone I know mentions they will be commuting via light rail in Sacramento.

There are bound to be some crazy hostil people here and there but overall, it’s the best way to get around downtown if you don’t want to pay the ridiculous parking fee. Of course it’s going to be jam packed during lunch and after work, a lot of people take it to save money. If you can, just go earlier and avoid the rush.

I am a fan of the light rail. I know, I know. It has its problems, but it’s air conditioned and cheap. I locked my keys in my car in east sac and thankfully I was near a station. I hopped on, went home and got my keys, took the light rail back… ta da! saved a ton of money on either cab fare or a locksmith. We take it frequently to go out to dinner, (usually walking or cabbing home because it stops running so early) I like to take it out to Folsom and ride my bike back along the trail.

I used to always take lightrail on the regular, up until a few months ago. Now I realize you get you get the homeless ppl, and and your bad apples, but one particular evening my daughter and I were on the train on our way home. The was an elderly gentleman who was eating and some homeless guy asked for the elderly for his food. Now I understand your probably wondering what this has to do with lightrail? Well here goes. We were in the first car, and well when the elderly man refused to give up his food the homeless man punched the old guy took his food got off at the next stop and the lightrail employee did absolutly nothing and other riders went to the older gentlemans aid. Now all i’m saying is if your attacked on lightrail don’t expect much I felt so bad for the older gentleman. And something like this happening in a public place like this and where the rt driver did nothing nor reported it is scary. I mean what if this were a child would the rt driver still have done anything? I’m just saying. Always saftey first! I will still ride lightrail but I won’t have my young child for this reason, and it’s a little bothersome.

SacRT — You REALLY SUCK. And I REALLY REALLY mean it.
[ZERO STARS (if Unilocal would allow it)]
MY WAIVER STATEMENT
I usually have to force myself to wait and «cool down» when I am incensed about something before I write on it. But with SacRT, there’s no point to wait because there is no risk to them losing anything from an already lack-​luster reputation.
SITREP
So here we are during the lunch hour just now downtown trying to get to my next appointment: I was hoping to take the Light-​Rail Gold Line from 7^th & K Street to meet some friends at University & 65^th. DID NOT HAPPEN. Let me tell you why…
Apparently (and I say «apparently» because there was no verification of this fact from anyone), there was an «accident» which supposedly stalled the service of Meadowview Train (Blue Line) around 9^th & K. I found this out because there was a rather LARGE troupe of disgruntled passengers (over 100 easily) who had been forced to get off that train — but no one saw an accident anywhere. It would seem that RT will give a «cover statement» to COVER THEIR ASS (CYA CYA CYA) for something that may be amiss with their trains that sounds like a reasonable pretext for «failed service.»
Anyways, this abandoned group of passengers soon deluged the RT station I was at because we were all hoping that the Sunrise Train (Gold Line) would soon be coming so they could at least get to the 13^th & R Station where promised shuttles would take them from there. IT NEVER ARRIVED. And apparently, everyone’s guesstimations were inaccurate, because the next scheduled Folsom Train (Gold Line) did not arrive either. But no one was around to tell us anything.
RT EMPLOYEES
Where were the SacRT employees, station-​security, etc. etc. when people needed them? By rumor and hearsay, some people heard from RT service-​drivers going by (but not stopping for more than minute) that Shuttle Buses would be available at the 13^th & R Station to take people to further stations. However, none of this was verified, because there was no employees around to verify this.
But based on this weak promise, there was a mass exodus of people leaving K Street Mall and walking down 7^th Avenue — actually almost a mile to get to the 13^th & R Street Station: Old Women with walkers hobbling along, Old Men with canes, young toddlers, young moms pushing baby strollers, disabled individuals, etc.: most of the weaker and more vulnerable members of our population forced to travel a great distance just to get the a promised point so that their travel could be made to their next destination. It really angered me as I walked along with them (which was on my way back to my office since my lunch plans had obviously been torpedoed).
RT ADMINISTRATORS
You guys ARE pretty useless when it comes to crisis-​management, aren’t you? You probably couldn’t find a SCHEDULE if it was shoved up your ass and you had been told it was there. You’re bloated salaries would be more useful if there were FEWER of you, and more bus drivers, Light-​Rail operators, and perhaps dispatch center controllers available to convey up-​to-​the-​minute instructions to personnel and to your RT STATION SIGNS… speaking of which…
RT STATION SIGNS: WHY THE HELL DON’T YOU USE THEM?
L.A.‘s Freeway system — and even Sacramento’s to a lesser degree — has made good use of Freeway Status Signs to project on the board any accidents, weather conditions, etc. that the traveling motorist experience ahead. It also does a fine dam job of conveying special information — such as AMBER ALERTS of missing children — almost up to the minute.
So I’m left scratching my head as to why RT did not use their station-​signs to convey this «service-​outage» information right when it was happening (?) You had a LOT of confused SacRT-​users trying to figure out what to do, where they should go, and when things would be coming back online.
THE LOWDOWN
Shame on you, SacRT… AGAIN…

I know the light rail all sort of end or start here and it seems like every time I drive by there’s quite a few empty/​parked trains and the limited few that are in service always seem empty.

I hate coming here. There’s one line for everything: people who need to sign their life away before getting their picture taken, AND people who just want a month pass (which is all I want). There’s only a few other locations that sell passes, but this is the only location that’s convenient for me. There needs to be an express line. But I guess it doesn’t make that much difference when there’s only one person at the counter anyway… And they’re not very friendly people either. They’ll make nasty faces at you for being in the building after closing, even of you’ve been waiting for half an hour…

Please, avoid RT at all costs, the most unpleasant rides you’ll ever have. The only times it’s ever been bearable is if i’m with a couple of friends. The cost are going and you can tell they’re being greedy as fuck by the fact they got rid of the transfer ticket (which was a total life safer for me). If you have to choose between riding RT or walking, take the walk.

Again have to give them at least one. RT (Re Tarted) Lets start with 2 cars during rush hour, what do you think happens when you crush a whole bunch of different folks together that don’t want nothing to do with each other, and then, oh my 6 bikes on a end of a car because you only attached 2 cars, they want havoc. Gets them funds down the road, mean time back on the train. ghetto transit officers asking for passes on packed trains, then paying more attention to there cell phones, then what they asked for, not even minding the 6 bikes. there never on when all the serious offenders are on just the good working folks. I had a whack & hut guard tell me I couldn’t smoke on the station, but then 2 or 3 transit officers smoking at the 13^th st station, of course a double standard and abuse of authority. Light Rail is a lawsuit waiting to happen, i saw a elderly women the other day attempt to get on the train, to slow, she was in the dust. And you fools paying a dollar to park, we don’t pay anything yet, but our insurance has, had to pay 2,000−2,500 because of break ins to our cars. Back to the more than 2 bikes on each end, I’M NOT MOVING, WHEN YOUR READY TO GET OFF, voice your opinion let RT know, you are doing your part to conserve… don’t be punished for going green, BUT AGAIN ONLY 2 BIKES @ each end of the train even if only 2 cars during rush hour, might as well drive.
If they ever plan on charging the $ 1 in Folsom, I would just prefer the line be discontinued, all it brings is the trash in from rancho cordova anyways, and before folks from rancho trash me, you know what I mean.
Hey Rt how bout cleaning up the 3 Folsom stations, trim the trees, pick up the trash, clear up the homeless (which you bring up here) Also if you are not going to use local law enforcement efficiently, (sitting car to car and B.S.) release them to be more effective. Im glad you have been so seriously cut, actually you deserved it.

I’ve been riding Sac RT Light Rail from Roseville Road to 12^th and I Street for 3−½ years. It is tolerable as long as I can take my mind off the inane chit chat, smelly, ignorant and loud people and dirty environment by burying my awareness in my morning paper.
What is intolerable is trying to enter and exit the lot with impatient, speeding cars tailing me. I’ve been honked at, passed on the left and right, and gestured at. Frequently, vehicles run the red light at Roseville Road to enter in the morning. The posted speed limit is 10 mph, almost a standstill. I go 15, and am still harassed.
The worst offender is an RT security guard who speeds through the lot to come to work in his humongous blue RAM truck, parking in a handicapped spot. I’ve complained to RT but someone will have to be seriously injured before anyone takes action. In the meantime, it’s dark in the morning and the sun is low in the early evening so people are not only speeding but are visually impaired.