through Dec. 18

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers STOPPING FOR SHOPPERS—Thousand Oaks Transit bus driver Joe Sportato rolls into The Oaks shuttle stop for shoppers. Residents can take advantage of public transportation during the holidays and avoid parking nightmares at malls. With stops at Janss Marketplace (behind Mervyn’s), The Oaks shopping center (near Johnny Rockets), and The Promenade in Westlake, you’re sure to get your shopping done. The buses operate 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. Call (805) 375-5473 for route and schedule details. Through Sun., Dec. 18, Thousand Oaks Transit (TOT) will offer extended hours and weekend service for shoppers during the holiday season. The holiday shopper shuttle will provide reliable, comfortable, affordable and convenient transit service as an alternative to traffic and crowded parking lots, according to city officials.

“Our riders have expressed an interest in using alternative transportation for their holiday shopping needs, so in response TOT hours have been extended to include weekend service,” said Mark Watkins, public works director. “TOT ridership continues to increase, so extending the hours was the right thing to do.”

In the last few years, ridership has increased almost 13 percent and over the next several weeks, residents will notice additional changes to TOT, including a more detailed route map that has been posted throughout the community, a new TOT logo and a bilingual program brochure, all of which have been posted on the website www.totransit.com.

“We have also added suggestion boxes in all the buses and Dial-A-Ride vans, so that we continue to get constructive feedback from our transit users on how to continue improve the program,” said Watkins.

TOT holiday service will operate on Saturdays and Sundays through Sun., Dec. 18. Saturday operating hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday hours will be noon to 6 p.m. The weekday hours will remain the same: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

TOT offers four fixed bus routes that serve Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks and Westlake as well as Dial-A-Ride service available to seniors and persons with disabilities.

For TOT route and schedule information, call (805) 375-5473 or visit www.totransit.org.