I’ve lived in Corpus Christi for most of my life, but I’ve also spent quite a few years in major metroplexes: New York City, Austin, and Dallas-Fort Worth. I used public transportation like buses and trains for my main choice of transportation except for the city I was born in. I’d see the red buses occasionally, but I never took a chance to ride one and see just how accessible Corpus is via a bus.

The Corpus Christi Regional Transportational Authority was created in 1986. As of 2026 it has 33 fixed routes across Nueces and San Patricio counties. Fare for a single ride (2 hours) for adults without disabilities is 75 cents, which is less than half of the fare I have spent in the other cities mentioned above. Now as a Del Mar student, I don’t have to pay fair, because I get free unlimited rides using my ID.

I decided to take a short trip on the B bus to see an average experience a rider would have. I wanted to see if the bus arrived accurately on scheduled time, the process of using my student ID as fare, and the comfort and efficiency of the ride.

I used Google Maps for my trip. As a seasoned public transit rider, I rely on it for accurate times as the bus schedules are also integrated into the directions. The CCRTA also has an app that helps with bus schedules and directions.

I decided to take a trip from downtown to the USS Lexington museum on North Beach. Originally, my plan was to travel from Windward Campus. Unfortunately, the bus line I was attempting to take was not accessible through a crosswalk despite being across the street, and according to Google Maps, the bus was fifteen minutes past schedule.

Google Maps recommended I take the 6 bus at the “Star @ Chaparral.” This bus line runs every hour and it looked like this bus in particular was running five minutes early. The stop itself was hard to notice on the sidewalk. The sign indicating what bus route arrives was worn and leaning, and the only other indication it was a stop was a simple two-person bench.

The bus did arrive at the early time shown in my directions. I presented my Del Mar student ID and it was counted as my fare. This bus was medium-sized, enough for about 30 passengers. The seat rows are close together, so on a busy day there might be discomfort for the tight spaces. But that day there were only about 10 other passengers, so we all had plenty of room to ourselves. The interior of the bus was a little worn from use, but overall the bus was clean, and a warm spot from the chilly day.

My trip was estimated to be 15 minutes with nine stops before my destination. The bus had a digital monitor behind the driver’s seat showing the route and stops ahead. I thought this was convenient as I got to put my headphones on and listen to music instead of waiting to hear my stop announced. This is a great accessibility feature for those who rely more on sight when traveling. The 6 line had multiple stops of interest. Along with the USS Lexington, it also arrives at the Greyhound bus station, and the Texas State Aquarium. My Google Mapa directions were accurate on time estimation, and when I was finally close to my destination, I pulled the “stop request cord” for the bus to stop at “1318-Shoreline@bridgeport” and exited the bus through the side doors.

Overall, my trip was convenient and comfortable. I think the CCRTA is a great way to get around Corpus Christi and its surrounding areas. Unfortunately, there is not enough awareness