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If you were hurt on or by a Riverside Transit Agency bus, the first job is to identify the operator. RTA is not Omnitrans. It is a separate public agency, so the written claim generally has to go to RTA, not to the City of Riverside and not to Omnitrans, unless another agency also played a part. California generally requires that written government claim within six months.
Win Attorneys handles Inland Empire transit injury claims throughout California from our only office in Tustin. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.
RTA and Omnitrans are not the same agency
The Inland Empire has more than one public bus system, and the name on the bus decides where the claim goes.
According to RTA’s Contact Us page, the Riverside Transit Agency was established as a Joint Powers Agency on August 15, 1975, and began operating bus service on March 16, 1977. RTA is the Consolidated Transportation Service Agency for western Riverside County. It says it coordinates transit throughout an approximate 2,500 square mile service area. The same page lists RTA offices at 1825 Third Street, P.O. Box 59968, Riverside, CA 92517-1968, the main number (951) 565-5000, and a Customer Information Center at (951) 565-5002.
Omnitrans serves the San Bernardino Valley. It is a different joint powers agency, with its own claim path. If the bus was an Omnitrans coach, use our guide to filing an Omnitrans bus injury claim, and our San Bernardino and Fontana Omnitrans pages. Our Omnitrans and RTA practice page explains how both systems fit in the Inland Empire. For Riverside-area context, see our Riverside and Temecula personal injury page.
Why a claim against RTA is not a regular car-crash claim
RTA is a public entity. Under Government Code section 6507, a joint powers agency “is a public entity separate from the parties to the agreement.” A claim sent only to the City of Riverside, the County of Riverside, or a member city may not be a claim against RTA.
Before you can sue a California public entity for personal injury or death, you generally must present a written claim first. Government Code section 911.2 says a claim for death or for injury to a person or to personal property shall be presented not later than six months after the accrual of the cause of action. Section 945.4 generally bars a lawsuit until that claim has been presented and acted on, or rejected. Our government claims page explains the broader process.
If the six months have passed, a late-claim application under section 911.4 must be made within a reasonable time, and no later than one year after the injury. That relief is limited. See our guide to a missed six-month government claim deadline.
Starting January 1, 2027, the person who signs a government claim must also declare that its contents are true to the best of their knowledge, under AB 2529.
Where do you present an RTA injury claim?
We checked RTA’s public Contact Us page on November 14, 2026. It lists the business office, a post office box, phone numbers, department emails, lost-and-found, and a comment and commendation line. It does not publish a public injury-claim form, a claims-department mailing procedure, or a walk-in claims window. We are not inventing an address or a form that RTA has not posted.
In practical terms:
- Treat RTA as the public entity that should receive a written Government Claims Act claim when an RTA bus, stop, or facility is involved.
- Call the agency, ask which office receives injury claims, and confirm the current mailing address before you send anything. Keep a written note of the name, date, and instructions you were given.
- Use mail you can track, or another method the agency confirms in writing, and keep the proof.
- A comment, complaint, or lost-and-found report is not a substitute for a legally sufficient claim.
- If a city street, a county road, or another transit operator also played a part, a separate claim to that entity may be needed, each with its own deadline.
Government Code section 915 describes how a claim may be presented to a local public entity, including delivery or mailing to the clerk, secretary, auditor, or governing body at its principal office. Confirm the current recipient with RTA rather than guessing from a general directory.
Who may have a claim
You do not have to be a passenger. A driver hit by a bus making a wide turn, a cyclist squeezed at a stop, or a pedestrian hurt in a crosswalk or at a station can have a claim if the evidence supports it. A hard stop with no collision can still cause injury. A private driver’s insurance may also be in the picture if another vehicle caused the crash. Our bus accidents page and our mass transit page cover those patterns statewide.
Public buses that carry passengers for a fare are generally common carriers. Civil Code section 2100 requires a carrier of persons for reward to use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage. That is a high standard, but it does not make the agency responsible for every injury. The facts still have to be proven.
What to save after an RTA bus injury
Transit video can be overwritten. If it is safe to do so:
- Get medical care and keep every record and bill.
- Write down the route, bus number, direction, time, stop or intersection, and the operator’s name or badge number if you have it.
- Photograph the bus, the stop, visible cameras, your injuries, and any other vehicles.
- Get names of witnesses and the police or CHP report number, if there is one.
- Keep fare-card or app records that show you were on the bus.
- Be careful with recorded statements to an insurer or claims administrator before you understand your rights.
Talk to us
Win Attorneys handles RTA, Omnitrans, and other California transit injury claims statewide from our only office at 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780. We do not have a Riverside office. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.
Call us at (657) 235-8097, reach us through our contact page, or start online with our intake form.
This article is general information and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Confirm RTA’s current claim instructions with the agency before you mail a claim.
Sources
- Riverside Transit Agency, Contact Us, checked November 14, 2026 (agency history, service-area description, office address, and public phone numbers).
- Government Code section 911.2; section 915; section 6507; Civil Code section 2100.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a claim against RTA?
A written claim for personal injury or death against a California public entity generally must be presented within six months under Government Code section 911.2. A late claim application may be possible within a reasonable time, and no later than one year after the injury, under section 911.4.
Do I file the claim with the City of Riverside?
Usually not, if the claim is about an RTA bus, stop, or facility. RTA is a joint powers agency and a public entity separate from the City of Riverside and the County of Riverside. A city street defect can require a separate claim to the city.
Is RTA the same as Omnitrans?
No. Omnitrans serves the San Bernardino Valley. RTA serves western Riverside County. They are separate agencies with separate claim paths. Check the name on the bus, the route, and where the injury happened.
Where do I mail an RTA injury claim?
RTA’s public Contact Us page, checked November 14, 2026, lists the business office at 1825 Third Street, P.O. Box 59968, Riverside, CA 92517-1968, and phone numbers, but it does not publish a claim form or a claims-office mailing procedure. Call the agency, confirm the current recipient, and keep proof of how you sent the claim.
Does a customer complaint count as a government claim?
Not by itself. A comment or complaint can help the agency investigate, but it is not a substitute for a written claim that meets the Government Claims Act.
Do your lawyers speak Spanish or Vietnamese?
Yes. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese, and we help people statewide from our only office at 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.