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Unitrans at 40: Moving Students Through the Decades

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Unitrans at 40: Moving Students Through the Decades

In the late 1960s, the Associated Students of UC Davis explored possibilities for providing bus transportation to students traveling between the City of Davis and the campus. The University Transport System, or Unitrans, was founded by ASUCD and service officially began on February 28, 1968 with two London double decker buses operating on two routes. Today, Unitrans provides transportation with 40 buses on 15 routes, carrying over 3 million passengers a year. The exhibit chronicles the history of Unitrans, which is celebrating its 40th year of operation.

Special Collections is charged with collecting, preserving, administering, and providing access to the University Archives. This exhibit draws materials from several University Archives Collections including: the Unitrans Archives, Chancellor’s Archives, University Communications Archives, and the University Archives Serials Collection.

Events leading up to the official founding

Spring 1966 ASUCD Election

Robert Black, candidate for ASUCD president, makes campaign promises to bring bus service to campus.

Student with a gavel sits in a chair among other students in chairs. — Robert Black, with gavel, President of the Associated Students of U.C. Davis, circa 1966.

October 1966

Two week trial bus line provides service on a twice hourly basis to students in East Davis.

December 1966

ASUCD contracts with Patchett Bus Lines for bus service to the University.

April 1967

ASUCD off-campus rep Richard Kleker sponsors proposal to buy two double decker buses from the London Transport System.

Male student with a mustache, wearing a suit and tie looks directly at the camera. — Richard Kleker, 1967.

Fall 1967

Buses arrive on campus and are christened in a ceremony on November 10.

Individuals look on as a bottle is broken over the front of a bus. — Bus christening ceremony, November 10, 1967.

February 2, 1968

Bus service is delayed due to a regulation requiring safety glass windows.

Bus service officially begins!

Page from the student newspaper with a headline "Buses Will Finally Roll Wednesday" — California Aggie, February 26, 1968,

1960s

ASUCD press release announcing the start of Unitrans service, 1968

Mimeographed press release with the headline "Authentic Double-Decker Buses to Begin Student Runs on Davis UC Campus" — ASUCD press release, 1968.

Last run of the 1967-1968 school year

Red double decker bus with an advertisement banner "McCarthy for President" — At the terminal in the Young Hall parking lot, June 1968.

System Route Map of the Big Red Bus, Effective September 30, 1968

Map that shows the routes of the bus system — There were three lines: A: East Davis, B: West Davis & C: North Davis.

Article from the Daily Democrat, October 21, 1969

Newspaper with the headline "UCD transport system buying 4 more buses" — Daily Democrat, October 21, 1969.

Bus schedules from 1969

The covers of three bus schedules. Schedule A has a pink stripe on it, Schedule B has a yellow stripe on it, Schedule C has a green stripe on it. — Bus schedules from 1969

1970s

Advertisement in the California Aggie, January 6, 1971

Advertisement in student newspaper showing riders in a double decker bus. Text reads "Commute to Campus Above Traffic on an Authentic London Bus for Only 77 cent per week" — Advertisement in the California Aggie, January 6, 1971.

Invoice from London Transport System for two double decker buses, April 7, 1970

Invoice that includes details of the sale of two secondhand London Transport buses. The cost per bus is 650 pounds for a total of 1300 pounds. — Invoice from London Transport System for two double decker buses, April 7, 1970.

Bus RT742 before being repainted red, circa Fall 1971

It was dubbed “Moby Bus” due to the white color scheme from the previous owner.

Black and white image. Bus driving down a street that has cars parked on either side of it. Two people stand on the sidewalk near a street sign that says Sycamore Lane. — Bus RT742 before being repainted red, circa Fall 1971.

Article in the Davis Enterprise announcing new bus signs, September 25, 1975.

Image of a double decker bus with a man standing in the doorway of the bus. In the foreground is a new Unitrans sign with a double decker bus emblem. — Article in the Davis Enterprise announcing new bus signs, September 25, 1975.

Bus sign, circa 1975.

Article from Davis Enterprise announcing the expansion of service to the general public, August 9, 1972.

Bus fleet, circa 1972.

Bus passes from the 1970s.

1980s

Ribbon cutting ceremony for new transit coaches, February 1982.

Invitation that states "The University Transport System announces the arrival of our new transit coaches and would like to invite you to a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Wed., Feb 24, 1982. 9:30am buses will be on display 10:00am ribbon cutting Memorial Union Terminal. Then Stay for a free ride on one of the Phantoms around the city of Davis. — Invitation to ribbon cutting, 1982.

Bus schedules from the 1980s

Array of five bus schedules for lines B, C, D, E, and F Each schedule is a different pastel color. — Bus schedules, 1980s.

Construction of the Unitrans Garage, 1986

A large bus terminal is under construction. A double decker bus is in front of the terminal. There are two pickup trucks also out front. — Unitrans Garage, 1986.

Article from the Davis Enterprise, February 1986

Newspaper article with an image from the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Community leaders are seen in front of the bus with a ribbon and a large pair of scissors. — Davis Enterprise, February 1986.

Route Map for 1986-1987

Map that show streets of Davis with bus routes highlighted in various colors. — Route Map for 1986-1987

1990s

Article from Bus Ride, February 1992

Article with three images and text. Two of the images are of men with facial hair and wearing glasses. The other image is of three double decker buses on a street, — First page of article from Bus Ride, February 1992.

Article with text and two images. One image is of a bus garage. The other is of two double decker buses. — Second page of article from Bus Ride, February 1992.

Article with text and one image of bus parts. — Last page of article from Bus Ride, February 1992.

Members of the Unitrans staff who competed against other Northern California bus drivers in the North Bay Regional Transit Association Rodeo, October 1994

Six people in front of and sitting on a double decker bus. — Unitrans staff, 1994.

Compressed Natural Gas buses introduced, April 1996.

Invitation with red Unitrans bus on right and text on the left. Text reads "Join us to celebrate the arrival of our first Compressed Natural Gas Buses Tuesday Aprul 9, 1996 4pm to 5pm UC Davis Memorial Union Terminal — Invitation to event celebrating the Compressed Natural Gas buses, April 1996.

2000s

Unitrans schedules from the 2000s

Five bus schedules lined up next to each other. Each schedule has an image of a bus on it along with the year of the schedule.

Graphic from General Manager’s Report, Fiscal Year 2006-2007

Graph that shows annual ridership versus the average quarterly enrollment for fiscal years. — Graphic showing annual ridership, 2007.

This Unitrans t-shirt commemorates the milestone of reaching 3 million riders in one year

T-shirt with a graphic of a bus climbing upward with markers for 1 million, 2 million, and 3 million riders. — Unitrans t-shirt, 2003.

Article from Davis Enterprise, December 13, 2007

Article with an image that includes portion of a bus with a driver. The headline reads "Air rules may force a double-decker into retirement." — Davis Enterprise, December 13, 2007.

Route Map for 2007-2008

Map that shows street of Davis with the bus routes highlighted in various colors. — Route map, 2007.

New Terminal

A new Unitrans bus terminal is scheduled to be built on Hutchison Drive in front of Haring Hall.

Schematic drawing for a bus terminal. Included are markings for the street, landscape, parking, and a roundabout — Tiered Initial Study & Negative Declaration, January 2008.