Policies

UC Merced's CatTracks is a service for persons affiliated with the University of California, Merced (this includes faculty, staff, students as well as the greater Merced community).  Please refer to the bus policies below for proper conduct in how to ride the bus.

Have your valid and legible CatCard ready to present to the bus driver when boarding the bus. The bus driver has the right to request that a rider pay fare amount if his or her CatCard is faded or otherwise unreadable.

All students pay a mandatory transit fee within their tuition, which offers access to "The Bus" with a valid CatCard at no additional charge. Students must be actively enrolled in the current term. Terms are classified by Fall, Spring and Summer. Please contact TAPS for more information.

Drivers will not wait. Due to the strict schedules of the bus routes and for safety, drivers are not allowed to delay for unnecessary reasons. Once bus doors are closed, the driver's focus is to ensure a safe departure from the stop by looking for oncoming traffic, not for additional riders. Although drivers will not purposefully leave someone who is running toward the bus, once the vehicle is in "gear" and ready to leave, drivers will not stop.

Standing is permitted only when seats are not available. If there are no seats available, please hold the handrails provided for your safety.

For your safety, bicycles are not allowed inside the bus. Most shuttles are equipped with bicycle racks, which can carry a maximum of three bicycles at a time. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that beach cruiser style bicycles are not allowed on the bicycle racks due to weight and size constraints. To prevent a fire hazard, motorized bicycles are not allowed on the bus.

Do not run in front of or after moving buses. They take more time to stop, even when traveling at slow speeds.
Pedestrians, be aware of traffic on Scholar's Lane and stay out of the bus and bike lanes.
Be respectful of fellow CatTracks riders and drivers. Please refrain from using offensive language or inappropriate behavior while on the bus.

TAPS recommends all CatTracks passengers wear the seatbelts installed on each bus for their safety.

Passengers may be subject to audio and video surveillance.

Food and/or drinks are permitted on CatTracks. Trash is collected on each bus. Please do your part and dispose of it properly. If there is a spill or mess, please notify the bus driver to reduce the chance of someone getting injured due to a slippery floor. Open containers, especially those containing liquids, are not permitted on CatTracks buses.

Items may be found at the UC Merced Police Department the following day. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (closed daily from 12-1 p.m.).

While the bus driver is on break, all passengers will be asked to exit the bus to allow the driver to close the doors to prevent any safety hazards while away from the bus.