T.O. Transit offers holiday shuttle

In an effort to ease local holiday traffic, Thousand Oaks Transit is running its annual Holiday Shopper Shuttle Service, which provides shoppers access to local shopping centers, including The Oaks mall, Janss Marketplace and the Westlake Promenade.

TOT drivers will also be in the holiday spirit, donning Santa hats for each trip.

The seasonal service will operate Saturdays and Sundays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. through Dec. 24.

TOT enters the holiday season on the heels of recordbreaking rider growth in October that exceeded 19,000 passengers, the highest total ever in a single month.

TOT launched the Google Transit trip planning service earlier this summer. Google Transit provides a way for individuals to create travel itineraries for the Thousand Oaks area using public transportation.

The system enables users to view satellite maps, travel times and the cost comparison between public transit and driving. Google Transit does not require users to know specific route timetables, simply starting and ending locations and time of arrival or departure.

For more information, visit the Google Transit Trip Planner at www.TOTransit.org or www .google.com/transit.

Thousand Oaks Transit operates five fixed-route routes five days a week throughout Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Newbury Park. Dial-A-Ride service is available for seniors and persons with disabilities. For route and schedule information, call (805) 375-5473 or visit www.TOTransit.org.