SunLine Transit Agency extends its transportation to new area

Driving almost an hour from the Salton Sea area to the desert cities is quite the trek. Delight Ramirez can attest to that.

“It’s a long drive, a lot of dust, very sandy when it’s windy, dark very soon,” Ramirez said.

Not to mention, it’s a pretty costly drive.

“People that live here in North Shore and have to go to work in Indio, Palm Desert, Palm Springs- it’s a lot of money,” Ramirez said.

However, now Supervisor John Benoit and SunLine Transit Agency announced an expansion of SunLine’s services, which used to end in Mecca, to North Shore – paid for by SunLine and also a grant.

For Ramirez’s family in north shore, it’s a godsend.

“A lot of people don’t have cars or have to rely on their husbands because they don’t know how to drive. They have to rely on them, or miss a day of work just to go to the clinic for their children or even driving,” Ramirez said.

There will be two to three pickup spots in North Shore, locations to be determined. The route goes through Mecca, Thermal, Coachella, and end in Indio. There are then four routes people can take from Indio, including a line to Palm Springs. Ramirez talked to us about how this will give students more opportunities.

“I know my niece couldn’t do COD anymore because she didn’t have transportation – a car, a license, so it was hard for her to get to COD,” she said.

A little more freedom, and a lot of saving.