AZ: Celebrate 15 Years of Public Transit Service in Yuma County

Before 1998, only private transportation companies operated any type of transit service in Yuma County, with taxis serving the urbanized areas and private van services providing transportation between San Luis and Yuma.

Paratransit in Yuma County began in February 1998. When the Saguaro Foundation began operating a public dial-a-ride system funded by Yuma Metropolitan Planning Organization in 1998, YMPO's fixed-route service began in February 1998 with service between San Luis and Yuma under the name Valley Transit.

The name YCAT or Yuma County Area Transit was adopted in 2002, with a new system of two routes, a local route within Yuma and an intercity route between San Luis and Yuma/Arizona Western College. Overtime, YCAT has grown and shrank as it faced funding challenges and ultimately a potential shutdown.

Since 1998, the Yuma County Area Transit system has grown from a new transit service offering paratransit carrying only 800 passenger trips per month to the current mix of fixed-route and demand-responsive services serving over 40,000 passenger trips per month, with an annual operating budget of $3.1 million.

With the assistance of nine member agencies consisting of cities, towns, college, university, county and Indian tribes, a new public transportation authority was formed and YCAT was transitioned from YMPO to the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (YCIPTA) as of July 1, 2012.

To celebrate 15 years of public transit service in Yuma County that was started by YMPO, YCIPTA and Yuma County Chamber of Commerce is having a mixer to celebrate! YCIPTA invite you to join us. If you wish to join us for the 15 year anniversary - swing by the YCAT Bus Facility from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 24, for food, drinks, music, prizes and an ability to dunk the transit director.