INCLINE VILLAGE

TART Connect’s microtransit service in Zone 3, serving the Nevada communities of Incline Village and Crystal Bay, will cease operations on Dec. 11 due to a lack of stable, long-term funding. The on-demand, curb-to-curb shuttle program has been one of the region’s most successful mobility initiatives, providing more than one million rides across the North Lake Tahoe region since its launch and helping address traffic, pollution, and parking concerns by making it easier to move around car free; 65% of TART Connect ridership is full-time residents.

Funding for TART Connect in Nevada has long relied on a patchwork of short-term commitments from multiple organizations, without a consistent, ongoing revenue stream to sustain and expand the program. Funding sources include Washoe County, RTC Washoe, Travel North Tahoe Nevada, the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, the Tahoe Fund, and the League to Save Lake Tahoe. 

This year, declining tourism revenues stemming from decreased inventory and a downturn in international visitation added pressure to already limited resources. Recent data shows total room revenue in Washoe Tahoe was down 30% and rooms occupied down 18% compared to 2024, significantly reducing available reinvestment funds for TART Connect’s Zone 3 service and other transportation and community programs.

TART Connect services will continue on the California side of North Lake Tahoe and Truckee. Traditional mainline TART bus service will also continue serving the region as usual.

While the future of microtransit in Incline Village and Crystal Bay remains uncertain, regional partners will continue evaluating funding models and exploring community-supported solutions that could bring the service back in a financially sustainable form.

Community members are encouraged to share their input by emailing tart@placer.ca.gov. 

~ Tahoe Truckee Transit press release