YARTS Overview
YARTS provides quality transit service into Yosemite National Park along each of the four state highways into Yosemite. The area served by YARTS spans six counties and 480 square miles, between the cities of Merced and Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley to Sonora, Oakhurst, Mariposa and Mammoth Lakes in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
YARTS operates year-round on Highway 140 through Merced and Mariposa Counties, and seasonally (May – September) on Highway 41 through Fresno and Madera Counties, Highway 120 through Tuolumne County, and Highway 395/120E through Mono County.
YARTS routes connect to a number of transportation providers throughout the service area including Amtrak, Greyhound, Eastern Sierra Transit Authority, The Bus in Merced County, UC Merced’s “CatTracks”, Mari-Go in Mariposa County, Clovis Transit, Fresno County Rural Transit Agency, Madera County Connection, Tuolumne County Transit, Advanced Airlines at the Merced and Mammoth Lakes Airports, and the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
History of YARTS
YARTS was created in 2000 as a solution to congestion and pollution created by millions of people visiting Yosemite National Park every year in personal vehicles. YARTS is the product of a partnership between the member counties of its Joint Powers Authority, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Park Service. The original YARTS Joint Powers Authority was entered into on September 21, 1999, between Merced, Mariposa, and Mono Counties. Madera County and Tuolumne County joined in 2020 with the City of Fresno coming on board in 2024. YARTS service launched in the spring of 2000 and the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) has provided administrative and staffing services, and operational support for the system since its inception.
Mission Statement
YARTS provides safe, convenient, and cost-effective public transit for visitors, employees, and residents of Yosemite National Park and communities along service corridors in the Yosemite region. YARTS provides a reliable and environmentally friendly transportation alternative that guarantees access to Yosemite National Park and emphasizes comfort and accessibility for riders.
YARTS Goals
Continue to provide and grow safe, accessible, and convenient public transportation services to the residents and visitors of Merced, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Madera, and Mono counties, and the City of Fresno, along the Highway 120, 140, 41, and 395/120E corridors to Yosemite National Park.
Ensure that all transit programs and services are high quality and financially sustainable within existing local, state, and federal funding programs and regulations and administered in a cost-efficient manner.
Engage in robust outreach to educate the public about YARTS services and the benefits of utilizing public transportation, and maximize technology, marketing opportunities and partnerships with public and private stakeholders to increase ridership.
YARTS Governing Board
YARTS is governed by a Board of Directors made up of two elected officials from each of its member agencies. An Authority Advisory Committee (AAC) consisting of two community members nominated by each member agency, along with representatives from the National Park Service and the California Department of Transportation, volunteer their time to make recommendations to the Governing Board on issues, projects, and policy matters within YARTS’ purview. Both the Governing Board and the AAC meet quarterly to consider items presented to them. Meetings are governed by the Ralph M. Brown Act and are open to the public. Meeting agendas include date, time, and locations of meetings and can be found at the Agenda Center.
