Want a hot tip? The Yolobus airport run is the sweetest deal since "two-buck Chuck" chardonnay.
For $1.50, the Yolobus will haul you and your baggage from downtown Sacramento, Davis, West Sacramento or Woodland to Sacramento International Airport. Seniors (folks 62 and older) and disabled people ride for 60 cents.
Even folks who reuse paper plates can appreciate this bargain.
What's a Yolobus? I didn't have a clue until I started working on this story. The Yolobuses are buses in the Yolo County Transportation District fleet. More importantly, this is the public-transit bus that takes travelers to and from the airport.
For The Bee's ongoing adventures in trying to beat rising gas prices, I mapped out a 20-mile public transit ride from the Hazel Avenue light-rail station in Rancho Cordova all the way to Sac International. I was looking for cost, convenience and practical elements.
So one recent, smoky morning, I completed the trip for a grand total of $2.
An airport cabby quoted me a fare from downtown to the airport of $25 to $28, "depending on the meter." He couldn't estimate what it would cost from Rancho Cordova, but you get the idea.
The "blue van," or SuperShuttle, will transport you from downtown to the airport for $14. If you happen to live, say, in Folsom or Rancho Cordova, the SuperShuttle trip will be in the $35 to $38 range. Charges are based on zip codes.
Hitchhiking, which I don't recommend, or conniving a neighbor to burn gas to drive you to the airport, are cheaper alternatives than the Yolobus. Other than that …
Now for the bad stuff. You knew this was too good to be true, right? Planting your carcass at a Yolobus downtown pickup point on time can be a challenge. And you know flights don't wait for late passengers.
Sandwiched between SUVs, staring at brake lights on Sunrise Boulevard for a maddening 40 minutes, I missed my 7:07 a.m. light-rail train to downtown. My imaginary flight, I imagined, would have left without me.
A flashing red light at the Zinfandel Drive intersection caused the traffic nightmare. Even with precision planning, figure on disaster during morning commute time.
By 7:38 a.m., my light-rail train was cleaving wildfire particulate matter, en route to downtown and the faraway Yolobus stops. The airport bus leaves every hour, but picks up passengers only along L Street, between Fourth and 13th streets. It's a daily service, except for a half-dozen holidays. Best to check the schedule (www.yolobus.com) thoroughly because of impending holidays and the Interstate 5 construction.
Forty-four minutes after departing the Hazel Avenue light-rail station, I set foot downtown at Eighth Street and Capitol Mall. Courtesy of the flashing red light fiasco, there were 40 minutes to burn before the next Yolobus pickup on L Street.
At Chicory Coffee & Tea, I bought coffee and a raspberry scone. Delicious.
You won't find any Yolobus signs along L Street, so look for the blue-and-white Regional Transit signs. A Yolobus, displaying a confusing "Woodland" on its destination sign, rumbled to a stop at 9:06 a.m. at 11th and L, right across from the state Capitol.
Double-checking with the driver that I had the right bus, I scrambled to a seat behind Alan Almeida and his mother, Midge. Midge lives in Sacramento's Hollywood Park neighborhood. Mother and son were headed to the airport for a weeklong stay at Alan's home in the Los Angeles area.
"I'm having an adventure," said Midge, riding a bus for the first time in years. Her fare, with senior discount, was 60 cents.
"With the discount, we're both riding to the airport for $2.10," said Alan. "We had somebody just drop us off downtown. It's easier on everybody to do it that way."
On board were travelers with baggage, a couple of commuting airport workers and people heading to Yolo County destinations along the route loop.
Our Yolobus driver had the mad skills of Jeff Gordon, taking the checkered flag at Terminal A in 19 minutes. And, his time included one more pit stop after mine. Very impressive.
Now, about the cost, convenience and practicality of the Yolobus airport run …
Cost: At $1.50, it rivals Free Taco Night at an NBA game. Plus, no airport parking fees, which went up today. By the way, overnight parking is prohibited in Regional Transit Park and Ride lots. Your car may be towed if it's left in an RT lot while you're soaking up sun in Cozumel.
Convenience: For those living in Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento and downtown Sacramento (including neighborhoods near downtown), the Yolobus to the airport is a no-brainer. However, suburbanites are at a disadvantage because of unforeseen traffic problems.
Practicality: It's not practical if you miss your flight. Plus, time is a big factor. Total time for my trip, including the traffic jam, was 2 hours, 55 minutes. I could have flown to Denver in less time.
Conclusion: The Yolobus from downtown to the airport is a terrific bargain, if you live anywhere near the L Street pickup points (it drops you off along J Street). Or, if you live in Yolo County. Otherwise, start buttering up your neighbor for a free ride.
Call The Bee's Dan Vierria, (916) 321-1119.
