LAVTA buses will hit the streets on July 1, but not without considerable celebration and fanfare.

The Livermore/Amador Valley Transit Authority buses will be dubbed "Wheels" and will begin regular service at 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 1. After years of discussion and planning among the three Valley cities, the Valley's newest and most convenient transit system will inaugurate service.

A grand celebration to kick off service will be held on Sunday, June 29 at 11:00 am. The festivities will take place at the Sports and Recreation Park on Hopyard Road. There will be speeches by the mayors of Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore and representatives of Chambers of Commerce and the senior and student communities. A ribbon-cutting will climax the speech making and then the real fun begins.

There will be refreshments, entertainment, balloons and buttons. The "Wheels" buttons, to be given away, will entitle passengers to free rides on "Button Days" which will be held later in the year.

Buses representing all of the Valley's mass transit systems will also be on display along with a London-style double-decker. Rides to the "Wheels" party will be free as buses roll at 10:00 am, 12:15 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. All riders will receive a free "Wheels" t-shirt.

To introduce service and familiarize Valley riders with the new system, "Wheels" has announced that rides during the first week will be free. So come one, come all!

To see a reproduction of the original article and edition of Pleasanton Pathways, visit: June 23, 1986 Pathways.