News Release
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jill Smith
Office: 661.869.6307
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2019
Congressman Cox Tours GET
Bakersfield, CA — Golden Empire Transit District (GET) hosted US Congressman TJ Cox at its headquarters on Labor Day, September 2, 2019. Cox, a freshman congressmen, represents California’s 21st Congressional District which includes all of Kings County and portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties. Cox toured GET to learn about how the District provides sustainable mobility options in Bakersfield. Cox was accompanied on his tour by GET Board members Jim Baldwin and Carlos Bello, along with City of Bakersfield Councilmember Andrae Gonzalez and GET employees Karen King, Deidre Brown, Ricardo Perez, and Chris James (pictured below).
“We were so pleased to host the congressman and show him how important public transportation is to everyone in Bakersfield,” said Karen King, GET’s CEO. “From commuter buses and downtown fixed routes to on-demand transit and GET-A-Lift service, residents rely on GET and our transit partners for access to jobs, healthcare, education, and beyond.”
“Fast, reliable public transportation is both an integral service for livable, accessible cities and a key to cleaner air in the Central Valley,” said Rep. TJ Cox. “It was great to hear how Golden Empire Transit is going above and beyond to get Kern County residents where they need to go.” Cox is an advocate for the use of electric buses in public transportation and was also impressed with GET’s volunteer work in the community, including the Reading Express Program. “We are thankful to the Congressman for noting the value in our attempt to promote a world of literacy onboard GET,” said King. The Reading Express provides books on GET fixed-route buses for children to enjoy while riding with their parents. GET is currently promoting a community book drive to support the program and residents are encouraged to donate new and gently used books for reading levels 0 through 3rd grade at the GET Headquarters at 1830 Golden State Avenue.
GET was formed in July 1973 and is the primary public transportation provider for the Bakersfield Urbanized Area. It is the largest public transit system within a 110-mile radius. The District’s legal boundary includes Bakersfield city limits as well as adjacent unincorporated areas. GET has a fleet of 88 compressed natural gas buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks. GET serves 16 routes, operating 7 days a week and transporting more than 6 million passengers each year with its fixed-route buses. In addition, GET operates 25 compressed natural gas GET-A-Lift buses and 7 microtransit RYDE shuttles. For more information, visit www.getbus.org or call 869.2GET (2438).
