Whether commuting to work or attending classes at Fresno State, Elijah Palacios said the Fresno Area Express (FAX) bus consistently puts him behind schedule.
“I have to take two buses to get to work,” Palacios said. “It stresses me out because when one [bus] is delayed, I end up having to run to work.”
For Palacios, who depends on the bus, the FAX schedule is never consistent. He said he has been late to work about four times due to unpredictable bus delays.
He has the Transit app, which uses FAX’s bus service data and factors in traffic to provide real-time arrival estimates. Instead, the app often provides inaccurate arrival times, leaving him unsure when the bus will actually arrive, and sometimes he waits up to 40 minutes.
Palacios isn’t the only rider affected. Across Fresno, people who rely on public transportation report the same uncertainty, long waits and overcrowding caused by the bus delays.
“It’s ridiculous, it takes so much time,” said Yareli Romero, a recent high school graduate. “The bus already takes 30 minutes to arrive at the stop, and when it gets delayed, it just becomes crazy.”
Angie Sanchez, another FAX rider, shared a similar experience.
“I’ve been late to my doctor’s appointments, but I feel like there’s nothing they can do,” Sanchez said.
Despite these concerns, FAX Director Gregory Barfield and his team said that they are actively working to improve service.
FAX’s efforts
“What we’ve been really focused on over the last few years is making sure that buses arrive at major connection points at key intersections, like Blackstone and Shaw or Cedar, so riders aren’t waiting very long for their next bus,” Barfield said.
Barfield and his team have been actively collecting feedback from riders to address FAX’s delays and improve service. During a recent Measure C presentation, they highlighted efforts to increase bus frequencies and expand coverage.
The presentation also noted Fresno’s ridership numbers, which totaled 10,398,950 last year.
The system’s top five busiest routes were:
- Route 1: 2,382,985 riders
- Route 38: 1,226,872 riders
- Route 34: 1,022,800 riders
- Route 9: 961,774 riders
- Route 28: 625,014 riders
These numbers give FAX a clear picture of high-demand areas and guide the agency in prioritizing service improvements to better meet the needs of daily riders.
The agency also faces delays from road work related to the high-speed rail and other city projects. Barfield explained that paving and road repairs occur between April and October, affecting major streets like Shaw and Herndon avenues, and Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
Barfield said temporary delays from road work and other issues are part of the process, but FAX is working to improve service for riders, including adding more frequent trips on busy routes.
“For example, the 38 route now has 10-minute peak service to accommodate high school students and Fresno State commuters,” he said.
Despite FAX’s efforts, many riders say they haven’t noticed improvements yet. When asked about the timeline for visible changes, Barfield acknowledged the challenge.
“Right now, we’re waiting on 11 new buses, which we expect by Christmas and early next year, but those are just replacements,” he said. “Expansion buses won’t be built until the first and second quarter of 2026.”
Barfield said new buses will help increase service frequency, but improvements are ongoing and require extra drivers and equipment. He expects riders to notice changes by next year, with full daytime service upgrades by August 2026.
He also acknowledged that improving service isn’t cheap, but emphasized that FAX is committed.
“Money is an object, but it shouldn’t be an excuse,” Barfield said.
