Pacific Coast Sightseeing Plans Tourist Shuttle Service

One of the biggest complaints voiced by tourists to Orange County is how tough it is to get around without a car.

Now Pacific Coast Sightseeing is stepping into the breach with plans for a new tourist shuttle to be launched in July or August. Visitors will be able hop from one tourist hot spot to another simply by climbing aboard air-conditioned motor coaches that will ply designated routes all over Orange County, according to Jerry O’Connell, president of the Anaheim-based charter bus company.

“Visitors want to see all our attractions. They just need an easy and convenient way to get there,” O’Connell said. “We really need something to link us all together.”

Pacific Coast Sightseeing, whose fleet consists of 63 brightly painted motor coaches, is best known for its scenic tours and charter service. However, the company has run a successful shuttle service around the Disneyland area for years.

So when O’Connell last year was appointed head of transportation issues for the Orange County Tourism Council, he said he knew it was time to take the concept countywide.

Although details about exact routes and hours of operation are still being worked out, O’Connell says the plan is to divide Orange County into three basic zones: north, central and south.

The buses will make hourly stops at major tourist destinations in the zones, such as Disneyland in the north and San Juan Capistrano in the south. Prices will range from $10 for round-trip travel within a single zone to $22 for an all-day roaming from north to south. The company will launch the service with four motor coaches and add more as needed.

O’Connell says he’s working with visitor bureaus all over the county to develop uniform signs and bus stops that tourists will recognize immediately. He hasn’t named the service yet, and is open to suggestions.