Last updated
By Ron McMinn, Esq. | Official sources rechecked November 9, 2026.
Read this article in Español.
Omnitrans’ headquarters is in San Bernardino, and its buses serve the city. If one of them was part of your injury, as a rider, pedestrian, cyclist, or driver, this page explains how the claim works. For the claim paperwork itself, see our Omnitrans claim guide. For the wider region, see our Omnitrans and RTA bus accident page.
Who runs the bus in San Bernardino
According to Omnitrans, it serves the San Bernardino Valley with local and express bus routes, sbX bus rapid transit, and Access paratransit. It was established in 1976 through a joint powers agreement, and its service area covers 15 cities and parts of unincorporated San Bernardino County. Its June 4, 2025 board agenda lists member agencies including the cities of Fontana and San Bernardino and the County of San Bernardino.
Omnitrans’ contact page lists its headquarters at 1700 W. Fifth Street, San Bernardino, CA 92411, and bus information at (909) 379-7100.
A dangerous City street usually points to the City of San Bernardino, County roads to the County of San Bernardino, and freeways to the State (see our Caltrans claim guide). Trains are separate; see our Metrolink accident page.
The six-month claim comes first
Government Code section 911.2 says a claim for death or for injury to a person or to personal property must be presented no later than six months after the cause of action accrues. Most other claims get one year. Accrual is a legal question, so do not guess at the start date.
Omnitrans is a public agency, so its claim follows the Government Claims Act. Our Omnitrans claim guide covers where to send it, what to include, and why the online complaint form is not a claim.
Our transit six-month claim deadline article explains why riders and drivers should not wait.
Bus passengers are owed the utmost care
Civil Code section 2100 says a carrier of persons for reward must use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage, must provide everything necessary for that purpose, and must exercise a reasonable degree of skill. That is a higher standard than ordinary care, but it does not make a carrier responsible for every injury. The question is still what the carrier did or failed to do.
Government Code section 815.2 makes a public entity liable for injury caused by an employee’s act or omission within the scope of employment, when the act would have given rise to a claim against the employee, unless the employee is immune. That is how a public transit agency can answer for a bus operator’s driving.
Who else may pay
Many bus crashes involve another driver. If a car hit the bus you were on, that driver and their insurer may be responsible, alongside or instead of the transit agency. See who pays a bus passenger when a car hits the bus. Riders hurt by a hard stop with no collision also have options; see injured by sudden bus braking with no crash.
Some public agencies contract out bus operations or maintenance, so the company running the bus may be a separate party. Do not assume who employed the driver. That is something to confirm early.
What to do in the first days
Get medical care and keep every record and bill. Write down the bus route, bus number, direction, stop, and time. Photograph the scene, your injuries, and any damage. Get names and phone numbers of witnesses and other passengers. Ask for the police report number.
Onboard and stop video can be overwritten, so a written request to preserve it should go out quickly. Be careful giving recorded statements to an insurer or claims administrator before you understand your rights.
How a bus accident lawyer helps
A bus accident lawyer identifies every public and private party that may be responsible, presents a timely government claim to each public entity, requests video and records, deals with insurers, and keeps track of the deadlines that follow a rejection. We do not promise outcomes, and no result in another case predicts yours.
After the claim
Under Government Code section 945.4, you generally cannot sue Omnitrans for money damages until a required claim has been presented and acted on, or deemed rejected. Section 912.4 generally gives the public entity 45 days to act. If it does not act, the claim is deemed rejected on the last day of that period.
After written notice of rejection, Government Code section 945.6 generally gives you six months from the date the notice is personally delivered or mailed to file suit. If no written notice is given, a two-year period from accrual can apply instead.
Missed the six-month window? Government Code section 911.4 allows a written application for leave to present a late claim within a reasonable time, not more than one year after accrual, with the proposed claim attached. Relief is not automatic. See our guide on a missed six-month government claim deadline.
Talk to us
If you were hurt in California and a city, county, transit agency, or the State may be involved, Win Attorneys handles government claims and personal injury matters statewide from our Tustin office. See our Riverside and Inland Empire page. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.
Call us at (562) 296-5380, reach us through our contact page, or start online with our intake form. Office: 17291 Irvine Blvd., Suite 210, Tustin, CA 92780.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs city buses in San Bernardino?
Omnitrans runs public bus service in the San Bernardino Valley, including local and express routes and sbX bus rapid transit. Its member agencies include the City of San Bernardino, and its headquarters is at 1700 W. Fifth Street in San Bernardino.
Is a claim against Omnitrans a claim against the City of San Bernardino?
No. Omnitrans is its own public agency. A claim over an Omnitrans bus goes to Omnitrans. A claim over a dangerous City street goes to the City.
How long do I have after a San Bernardino bus accident?
Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a written claim against a public entity within six months for injury claims. Missing it can end the claim, so act early.
Are Omnitrans bus passengers protected by a higher standard of care?
Civil Code section 2100 requires a carrier of persons for reward to use the utmost care and diligence for their safe carriage. That does not make the carrier liable for every injury, but it is a higher standard than ordinary care.
Do you handle San Bernardino bus cases if I live elsewhere in California?
Yes. We handle injury claims statewide from our Tustin office. Call (562) 296-5380. We speak Spanish and Vietnamese.