Manteca Transit now has a bus stop at the Thomas Toy Community Center thanks to the efforts of Councilwoman Regina Lackey.

It means students attending Sierra and East Union high schools can access free public transportation from their schools and neighbors to access offerings at the teen center on the southeast corner of Yosemite and Fremont avenues.

It also means Manteca High students that can walk to the center from the nearby campus can now catch a bus home.

“This (the Thomas Toy Center) is a great resource for kids,” Lackey said.

Lackey noted not only can teens interact with other teens in a safe face-to-face environment but they can access programs to develop skills and interest.

Lackey, who was approached by the Toy Center staff inquiring about a possible bus stop, praised City Manager Toini Lundgren and Manteca Transit personnel from making the stop happen in a quick fashion.

The burgundy, dark blue, and white Manteca Transit buses are the school bus for a growing number of Manteca Unified students.

As of the end of 2024, high school and middle school ridership on Manteca Transit’s four fixed bus routes had increased five-fold since before the pandemic.

It is to the point that one bus serving Manteca south of the 120 Bypass in the morning at times has been standing room only.

Student ridership accounted for 2,068 of the 7,944 passengers in October.

Manteca High tops the ridership list followed by Sierra High and then East Union High.

High school students using student body cards can ride free on Manteca Transit buses.

The Thomas Toy Center is free for seventh graders through high school seniors.

It offers a café, teen cave with game tables and such, art studio, social media production studio, and numerous program manned by volunteers to learn various skills.

 More information can be found at thomastoycc.org or by calling 209-407-2568.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com