Fresno expands late-night bus service to River Park, Fancher Creek

The city of Fresno on January 16 reduced wait times for late-night bus riders and extended service into southeast Fresno, changes that aim to ease commutes for students, shift workers and shoppers. Night Route 38 now runs every 30 minutes instead of hourly, and Route 22 was extended to the new Fancher Creek shopping center near Bullard and Marks avenues.

Night Route 38’s increased frequency cut typical waits in half for riders traveling between downtown Fresno and River Park Shopping Center. The route serves downtown Fresno, Calwa, Edison, Roosevelt, Duncan and McLane high schools, Granite Park, Fresno State and River Park. Service on the route runs from 5:30 a.m. to midnight and includes Saturdays, offering expanded windows for early-morning commutes and late-evening returns.

Extending Route 22 into Fancher Creek connects the Tower District and downtown Fresno, including the Amtrak Station, directly to the new retail development near Bullard and Marks avenues. That link provides an alternative to driving for residents of southeast Fresno and makes the shopping center more accessible to people arriving by train or using transit from central neighborhoods.

City leaders framed the adjustments as practical steps to improve transit reliability and neighborhood access. For Fresno State students and families of Duncan and McLane high schools, the more frequent Night Route 38 reduces the time spent waiting for buses after evening classes, games or work shifts. For employees at the Fancher Creek retail center and surrounding businesses, the Route 22 extension offers a direct way to reach job sites without relying on multiple transfers or personal vehicles.

The changes also carry implications for public safety and local commerce. Shorter wait times can lessen the exposure of late-night riders to long, isolated gaps between buses, while improved transit links to new retail development can help channel consumer traffic to small businesses in and around the shopping center. The connection to the Amtrak Station may also make combined train-and-bus trips more attractive for residents traveling beyond Fresno County.

Riders should note that while Night Route 38’s span now covers early morning through midnight and includes Saturday service, schedules for evenings and weekends vary by route. Plan trips with the updated timetables to take advantage of the more frequent service and the new Route 22 stops. Longer term, the adjustments signal a city-level push to strengthen transit ties between central Fresno neighborhoods and growing commercial nodes in the southeast, a shift that could shape commuting patterns and local development in the months ahead.