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Transit Service Changes: Status as of March 26

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For additional information, click the name of any transit agency name to visit their service updates page.
For transit service updates for the larger Bay Area, visit 511.org.

BART: Reduced Service
BART is providing service Monday-Friday from 5am-9pm. Regular weekday train frequency will remain the same. All riders must be in the system by 8:45pm to have a guaranteed ride to their destination. Starting Saturday March 28, Saturday and Sunday service will be from 8am-9pm (currently Saturday service is 6am-midnight and Sunday is 8am-midnight). Current weekend train frequency will remain the same.

AC Transit: Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
AC Transit has implemented rear-door boarding on buses with multiple doors. Fare payment is not required until further notice. Passengers requiring ADA ramps, utilizing mobility devices or need priority seating may continue to use the front door for boarding. Wheelchair riders may be allowed onboard without securements by bus operators.

County Connection: No Fare Collection
County Connection has temporarily suspended fare collection on all routes including paratransit.

WestCAT: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
WestCAT isn’t collecting fares on any service until further notice and is suspending all mail orders. The JX Route has been suspended. WestCAT Lynx will operate on a holiday schedule only. The Early Bird Express will continue to operate. All passengers able to board & exit through the rear door should do so.

Tri Delta Transit: Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
Passengers will board fixed-route buses through the rear door unless they require the wheelchair ramp. Additionally, no fares will be collected on any Tri Delta Transit buses.

Richmond Ferry: Suspended Service
The Richmond Ferry will not operate until further notice.

Capitol Corridor: Reduced Service
Train frequency has been reduced to five round trips daily between Sacramento and Oakland, with four of these round trips continuing to San Jose. This schedule will be the same all seven days of the week, meaning no weekend/holiday schedule differences.

Wheels Bus: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
Fare collection has been suspended and passengers without disabilities are to use the rear door for boarding and exiting. Service frequencies have been reduced on Rapid Routes 10R and 30R. Operation of Routes 2, 20X, and 580X has been suspended. Dial-a-Ride Paratransit, Para-taxi and GoDublin are still available.

Altamont Corridor Express: Reduced Service, Ticketing Changes
Until further notice, ACE has suspended Saturday service as well as the ACE 07 and ACE 10, and will be running shorter trains. ACE has suspended in-person ticket sales at the Lathrop/Manteca and Tracy stations and is encouraging passengers to use mobile ticketing when boarding. In-person ticket sales will still be available during mornings at the Pleasanton station.

Golden Gate Transit: Reduced Service
Service adjustments have been made, including the cancellation of some southbound and northbound commute trips until further notice. Additional cancellations may be necessary on a daily basis.

Fairfield and Suisun Transit: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
FAST local service and SolanoExpress commuter service have been reduced. Details of changes are available on FAST’s Service Advisory page. No fares are being collected and passengers are being asked to board and exit through the rear door if able to.

Solano Transit: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
SolTrans Local, SolanoExpress, and Paratransit service are operating on a Saturday service schedule on weekdays until further notice. Passengers should board using the center doors. Those who need assistance from the ramp may board at the front doors. If possible, the use of Token Transit is recommended for easy visual fare adherence boarding (so that money does not need to be handled). SolTrans will not collect fares on Local, SolanoExpress and Paratransit service.

Presidents’ Day 2020 Transit Service (Feb. 17)

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american flagOn Presidents’ Day (Monday, February 17), some Contra Costa transit agencies will offer regular weekday service while others will run on holiday schedules. We’ve collected service information for all transit providers below for easy reference.

Click any link below for additional information.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2020 Transit Service (January 20)

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On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 20), some transit agencies will provide regular weekday service while others will run on modified schedules. Below, we’ve collected information on Contra Costa holiday transit service for easy reference.

Click any link below for additional schedule information.

New Year’s Eve 2019 & New Year’s Day 2020 Transit Schedules

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On New Year’s Day 2020, all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be on Sunday or Holiday schedules, except for County Connection and the Richmond Ferry, which will offer no service. On New Year’s Eve 2019, Tuesday, December 31, BART will offer regular weekday service until 8pm, then special service until 3am. Wheels and WestCAT are the only agencies providing modified or holiday service on Tuesday. All other agencies will be on a regular weekday schedule.

Special Note Regarding BART: San Francisco-bound Antioch and Richmond trains will not stop at Embarcadero Station after 8pm on New Year’s Eve. Passengers may exit at Montgomery Street Station for the fireworks show.

After the San Francisco fireworks show is over, passengers bound for Antioch and Richmond must use Montgomery Street Station. Trains on these lines will not stop at Embarcadero Station on their way out of San Francisco.

Free Transit:

Click any link below for additional schedule information.

New Year’s Eve (Tues., December 31)

  • WestCAT:
    • Dial-A-Ride, Local Fixed Route, C3, JPX, 30Z, JX – Modified Service 7pm close (approx.)
    • Lynx- Limited Service (last outbound from SF at 8PM)
    • JR/JL – Regular Service
    • No other service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15, and 30R on a weekend schedule; no other service
  • All other transit on regular Tuesday schedule

New Year’s Day (Wed., January 1)

Thanksgiving 2019: Holiday Transit Service – Thursday & Friday

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On Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28), all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be on modified schedules. In addition, some agencies will have modified schedules the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 29).

Click any link below for detailed schedule information

Thanksgiving Day – Nov. 28

Day After Thanksgiving – Nov. 29

  • WestCAT – SJR/JL, 11, 19, DAR – Saturday Service, All Other Routes – No Service
  • Tri Delta Transit – Sunday service: only routes 392, 393, 394, 395 and 396 operating
  • Richmond Ferry – No service
  • Wheels – Weekend schedules for Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15 and 30R; no other service
  • Capitol Corridor – Weekend/Holiday service
  • All other transit on regular weekday schedule (BART, AC Transit, County Connection)

511CC & the Miles App: Get Rewarded for Your Commute

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511 Contra Costa and the Miles app have teamed up to help you get the most out of your commute!

Download the Miles app, and you’ll start earning points called ‘miles’ anytime you walk, bike, ride transit or take the ferry, or drive in Contra Costa and beyond. The greener your mode of travel, the more points you’ll earn!

Your miles can be converted into rewards which you choose, selecting from a wide range of products and services. A sample of companies offering Miles rewards appears at the bottom of the page.

Click either download button to get started. For more information about how the Miles app rewards points for travel, visit the Miles website.

Green Commute Contest: Win a $20 BART Ticket

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Enter for a chance to WIN a $20 BART ticket!

If you skip driving alone and walk, bike, carpool, take transit, or vanpool to work from Contra Costa, posting a photo of your green trip gives you the chance to win a $20 BART ticket.

Just post with the hashtag #511CCgreencommute and you’re entered to win. Full contest rules and details available at 511contracosta.org/greencommute.

https://twitter.com/mohnemus/status/1155904637955760131

BART to Antioch Service Starts May 2018

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BART service to Antioch began in May 2018 with the official opening of two new stations: Antioch & Pittsburg Center.

Using the New BART to Antioch Service

No Park & Ride at the New Stations: Park & Ride parking is not available for bus patrons, carpools, ride sharing, etc. at the Antioch and Pittsburg Center stations. The Brentwood Park & Ride lot serviced by Tri Delta Transit offers free Park & Ride parking.
Transferring at Pittsburg/Bay Point Station: The East Contra Costa BART Extension trains run on their own tracks and connect with the existing BART system at a Transfer Platform just east of the Pittsburg Bay Point Station. At the Transfer Platform, riders simply exit one train and walk across the platform to board the other train. BART passengers trying to reach the Pittsburg Center Station or the Antioch Station will remain in the BART train to reach the Transfer Platform.
Train Technology: The new trains are Diesel Multiple Units or DMU train cars. They meet the US Government’s strictest emissions standards and use renewable diesel, an advanced biofuel produced from bio-based sources such as vegetable oil. The extension will be able to carry an estimated 2,400 people in each direction, per hour, during rush hours.

Construction Starts Mid-May 2017: Lafayette BART Station – North Lots

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Starting in mid-May 2017, construction work will begin on the northern parking lots of the Lafayette Station as part of the Station Site Improvements Project.
The work will take approximately 8 months and be completed in two phases. Phase 1 will include the temporary relocation of the ADA lot and intermodal zone. Phase 2 will include the temporary relocation of the permit lot adjacent to Happy Valley Rd.
The entrance to the north side of the Lafayette BART station will remain open during construction.
While construction is taking place, you can use County Connection bus routes 6 and 25 to get to the station. For more information go to: https://countyconnection.com/maps-schedules/
For more details about the project, visit BART’s project information page.

New Year's Eve 2016 & New Year's Day Transit Schedules

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On New Year’s Day, all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be on Sunday or Holiday schedules, except for County Connection which will have no service. On New Year’s Eve, BART will run until 3am.
explosion-firework-new-year-s-eve-december-31Special Note Regarding BART: San Francisco-bound Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond trains will not stop at Embarcadero Station after 8pm on New Year’s Eve. 
After the San Francisco fireworks show is over, passengers bound for Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond must use Montgomery Street Station. Trains on these lines will not stop at Embarcadero Station on their way out of San Francisco.
Free Transit: AC Transit & Muni will be offering free travel from 8pm New Year’s Eve until 5am the following morning. During the complimentary service, there is no need to tag your Clipper card.
Click any link below for additional schedule information.
December 30 (Friday)

  • Wheels (LAVTA): Weekend Plus service – All normal weekend service plus Routes 53 & 54

New Year’s Eve (December 31)

  • BART: Regular Saturday schedule with supplemental New Year’s eve service until 3am
  • WestCAT:
    • J – Saturday service
    • 11, 19, DAR – Saturday service until 7pm
    • All other routes – no service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Weekend service – Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15 & 30R on a weekend schedule
  • All other transit on regular Saturday schedule (AC Transit, County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, Capitol Corridor)

New Year’s Day (January 1)

January 2 – Monday (New Year’s Day Observed)

  • AC Transit: Sunday schedule
  • WestCAT: Sunday service
  • Tri Delta Transit: Routes 392, 393, 394 and 395 will operate on a Sunday schedule; no other service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Weekend service – Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15 & 30R on a weekend schedule
  • County Connection: Weekend service
  • All other transit on regular weekday schedule (BART, Capitol Corridor)

Christmas 2016: Holiday Transit Service Information

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lightsOn Christmas Day, all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be on Sunday or Holiday schedules. Modified service will be offered by some local transit agencies on the days before and after Christmas.
Click any link below for additional schedule information.
December 23

  • Wheels (LAVTA): Weekend Plus service – All normal weekend service plus Routes 53 & 54

Christmas Eve (December 24)

  • Tri Delta Transit: Routes 392, 393, 394 and 395 will operate on a Sunday schedule; no other service
  • WestCAT:
    • Route J – Saturday service
    • Routes 11, 19, and Dial-a-Ride – Saturday service until 7pm
    • All other routes – no service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Weekend service – Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15 & 30R on a weekend schedule
  • All other transit on regular Saturday schedule (BART, AC Transit, County Connection, Capitol Corridor)

Christmas Day (December 25)

Day After Christmas (December 26)

California State Rail Plan – Caltrans Wants Your Input (2016)

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CA State Rail Plan 2018Caltrans is starting work on its 2018 Rail Plan, which will provide a framework for California’s rail network for the next 20 years. The planning process is designed to allow early stakeholder and public input – providing information through meetings and webinars and soliciting feedback via workshops, surveys, emails and online comments.
If you’d like to help shape the Rail plan, you can sign up to the email list, leave a comment on the Comments Page, or send an email to RailPlan@dot.ca.gov. For more ways to participate, visit Caltrans’ Get Involved page.
If you’d like additional information, visit the 2018 California Rail Plan website.

Presidents Day 2016: Transit Schedules – Monday, February 15

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american flagOn Presidents Day (Monday, February 15), some transit agencies will run on regular weekday schedules while others will run on holiday schedules. We’ve collected all the schedules for easy reference.
Click any link below for additional schedule information.

  • BART: Saturday schedule
  • AC Transit: Sunday schedule
  • WestCAT: Saturday schedule: Express J, DAR, Local (11, 19); No Lynx, JX, JPX, 30Z, or C3 service
  • Capitol Corridor: Regular weekday schedule
  • County Connection: Regular weekday schedule
  • Tri Delta Transit: Routes 392, 393, 394 and 395 on Sunday schedule; no other service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Saturday schedule plus the addition of limited service on Routes 20x, 70x; no service on Rapid

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2016: Transit Schedules (Jan. 18)

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Martin Luther King JrOn Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 18), some transit agencies will run on regular weekday schedules while others will run on holiday schedules. We’ve collected the transit schedules for easy reference.
Click any link below for additional schedule information.

  • BART: Saturday schedule
  • AC Transit: Sunday schedule
  • WestCAT:
    • Saturday Service: Express JR/JR, DAR, Local (11, 19)
    • No JX, JPX, 30Z, or C3 Service
    • Modified Holiday Service: LYNX
  • Capitol Corridor: Regular weekday schedule
  • County Connection: Regular weekday schedule
  • Tri Delta Transit: Routes 392, 393, 394 and 395 on Sunday schedule; no other service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Regular Saturday service plus the addition of limited service on Routes 20x, 70x; no service on Rapid

New Year's Eve 2015 & New Year's Day 2016: Transit Schedules

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new-year-happy-light-45158768On New Year’s Day, all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be on Sunday or Holiday schedules. On New Year’s Eve, BART will run until 3am and WestCAT will offer a Modified Holiday Service schedule.
explosion-firework-new-year-s-eve-december-31Special Note Regarding BART: San Francisco-bound Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond trains will not stop at Embarcadero Station after 8pm on New Year’s Eve. After the San Francisco fireworks show is over, passengers bound for Pittsburg/Bay Point and Richmond must use Montgomery Street Station. Trains on these lines will not stop at Embarcadero Station on their way out of San Francisco.
Free Transit: AC Transit & Muni will be offering free travel from 8pm New Year’s Eve until 5am the following morning. During the complimentary service, there is no need to tag your Clipper card.
Click any link below for additional schedule information.
New Year’s Eve (December 31)

  • WestCAT:
    • DAR, Local Fixed Route, C3, JPX, 30Z, JX – Modified Holiday Service, 7pm Close (Approx.)
    • LYNX – Limited Service
    • Express J – Regular Service
  • BART: Regular weekday schedule with supplemental New Year’s eve service until 3am
  • All other transit on regular weekday schedule (AC Transit, County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, Wheels, Capitol Corridor)

New Year’s Day (January 1)

New BART Schedule Underway: Aims to Provide Crowding Relief (Sept. 2015)

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Monday, September 14, was the first day for BART’s new train schedule, designed to provide crowding relief while the Bay waits for the Fleet of the Future to arrive.  The number of cars scheduled to be in service during the rush hours will be at a record high, with additional improvements provided during non-peak hours.
bartlogoService Improvement Highlights

  • Rush hour trains added to Pittsburg/Bay Point to SFO line
  • Richmond to Millbrae line direct weekday service extended to 9pm
  • Train cars added during rush hours to all other transbay routes
  • The elimination of the three car train
  • More show-up-and-go service for BART to OAK

Pittsburg/Bay Point Line
All rush hour Pittsburg/Bay Point- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) line trains, which operate end-to-end, will be lengthened to the maximum length of 10 cars. These transbay trains also serve riders transferring from the Richmond Line in Oakland.
BART will keep trains long for an additional 15 minutes during weekday mornings on the Pittsburg/Bay Point line to accommodate the increase in riders travelling later in the morning.
Richmond-Millbrae Line
Richmond-Millbrae service will be extended by one hour on weekday evenings, meaning an extra hour of direct service.  The last train will depart Millbrae for Richmond at 9:01pm and Embarcadero at 9:33pm.
Richmond-Fremont Line
All three-car trains will be lengthened to four cars on the Richmond/Fremont line during all non-commute times, marking the end of the three-car train at BART.
For more information, read the full story on BART.gov.

Dump the Pump Day: June 18, 2015 – Free Rides & More

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Dump The Pump
June 18 is National Dump the Pump Day! It’s a great opportunity to change up your routine, ride public transportation (instead of driving) and save some money. A recent report from the American Public Transportation Association shows that a two-person household downsizing to one car can save, on average, more than $9,569 a year!
Saving money isn’t the only reason to try riding transit on Dump the Pump Day. This year Spare the Air, WestCAT, BART, Wheels (LAVTA) & SolTrans are all offering something extra to encourage you to ri5de the bus or train. We’ve compiled their tweets (showing what they’ve got going on for June 18) below.
And if Dump the Pump Day inspires you to take transit more often, you might qualify for the $25 Drive Less Commuter Incentive! Find out more on our Public Transit page.

Caltrans, Amtrak Announce New Bike Reservation Policy to Improve Customer Service and Enhance Safety (2013)

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20070603_19-53-29
Bike aboard Amtrak. Photo credit: ubrayj02
Looking to take a nice train and bike trip along the coast this summer?
The Source published this news release from Caltrans, which funds some passenger rail service in California, regarding the new bike reservation policy (with our emphasis added) :

Caltrans, Amtrak Announce New Bike Reservation Policy to Improve Customer Service and Enhance Safety
SACRAMENTO – Amtrak California passengers traveling with bicycles can reserve onboard bike rack space free of charge beginning June 1, 2013 when booking travel on Pacific Surfliner trains.
“We heard our customers and we responded,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Caltrans eliminated the $5 bike reservation fee to make it as easy as possible to bring your bike along when riding the Pacific Surfliner trains.”
Previously, without a bike reservation system in place, when bike racks became full, passengers had no choice but to store bikes next to luggage storage areas or walkways.  At times, if bike traffic became too heavy, bike passengers would not be allowed to board at all.
“With bike reservations, planning travel is made easier by enabling bike-toting passengers to choose an alternate train should their first choice be fully booked. It’s truly a win-win,” said Caltrans Division of Rail Chief Bill Bronte.
While there is no cost to reserve a bike slot, reservations will be required for each travel segment and must accompany a valid Amtrak ticket. Bike reservations can be made one of several ways: Online when booking tickets at AmtrakCalifornia.com (click “Add Bike to Trip” after selecting the departure and class of service); at Quik-Trak kiosks (visit the Amtrak California Station Directory for kiosk locations); from station ticket agents; or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
Amtrak Multi-Ride Ticket holders (10-trip or Monthly Pass) can only obtain bike reservations through station ticket agents or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. Amtrak has issued refunds to passengers who booked and paid for bike reservations in advance.
Most trains can accommodate six bikes. Passengers should reserve space as early as possible, as bike space is limited and may not be available on all trains or departures.  All bike passengers are responsible for securing their own bicycles in provided bike racks.
About Amtrak California:  Under the Amtrak California banner, Caltrans funds three of the five busiest intercity passenger rail routes in the Amtrak system: the Pacific Surfliner(r) corridor (ranked second), the Capitol Corridor(r) (ranked third), and the San Joaquin(r) corridor (ranked fifth). Caltrans manages both the Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin corridors. The Capitol Corridor, although funded by Caltrans, is managed by the Capital Corridor Joint Powers Authority. Visit us at www.amtrakcalifornia.com; join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmtrakCalifornia or follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/Amtrak_CA.

Note: Folding bicycles may be brought aboard certain passenger cars as carry-on baggage. Only true folding bicycles (bicycles specifically designed to fold up into a compact assembly) are acceptable. Generally, these bikes have frame latches allowing the frame to be collapsed, and small wheels. Regular bikes of any size, with or without wheels, are not considered folding bikes, and may not be stored as folding bikes aboard trains.
You must fold up your folding bicycle before boarding the train. You may store the bike only in luggage storage areas at the end of the car (or, in Superliners, on the lower level). You may not store bikes in overhead racks.

Embrace Car-free Adventures with OffMetro

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Road trip season is upon us, a time to visit natural and cultural sites, near and far. Load up the car and hit the road, right? But what if you are looking for a little more adventure, or to harken back to a simpler time? Sometimes there is no experience quite like taking a bus, train, or bicycle to reach that getaway, or to see those sights. The recently launched offMetro San Francisco offers just that– how to take a road trip-like vacation “with and without a car!”
There are plenty of suggestions and advice for various kinds of trips, and OffMetroSF  helps you plan trips in a variety of ways– by mode of transportation, by destination, by purpose, by duration, and more. Some interesting trips that offMetroSF suggest, and give a taste of what the site has to offer are:
Take Amtrak to Yosemite
Best Bike Getaways Near San Francisco
Five Things to Do in Alameda
You can always plan your own trips, but take a moment and check out offMetroSF. You might be surprised by how many things there are to do around the Bay, and inspired by how easily getaways can be planned without a car!

2009 Commuter tax benefit increased to $230 a month.

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The Economic Recovery Act signed into law by President Obama  includes an increase in the vanpool and transit tax benefit for commuters to $230 a month.  Employers can enable their employees to set aside a portion of their pretax salary to pay for commuting with costs savings of roughly $1000 per year.  Make sure your employer offers this federal IRS tax benefit.