transit | 511 Contra Costa - Part 4

Tag: transit

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)

Thanksgiving 2015: Holiday Transit Service

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thanksgivingOn Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26), all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be running on modified schedules. In addition, some agencies will run on modified schedules the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 27).
Click any link below for detailed schedule information.
Thanksgiving Day – Nov. 26

Day After Thanksgiving – Nov. 27

Veterans Day 2015: Transit Schedules

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flagVeterans Day is Wednesday, November 11. While most transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be running on regular weekday schedules, both Tri Delta Transit and WestCAT will be operating on holiday schedules.
Holiday Schedule

  • Tri Delta Transit: Routes 392, 393, 394 and 395 will operate on a Sunday schedule; no other service
  • WestCAT:
    • DAR, Express J, Local (11, 19) – Saturday Service
    • LYNX – Limited Service
    • JX – Regular Service
    • 30Z, JPX, C3 – No Service

Weekday Schedule

  • BART
  • AC Transit
  • County Connection
  • Wheels (LAVTA)
  • Capitol Corridor

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.
Service 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.

Upcoming Service Changes: County Connection, AC Transit, Wheels, SolTrans (Aug. 2015)

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County Connection, AC Transit, SolTrans & Wheels (LAVTA) have all announced upcoming service changes. Here’s what you need to know:
Agency: County Connection
Changes Take Effect: August 16
Full Details: http://www.countyconnection.com
Digest:

  • Route 1M – New Service: Service to the Marchbanks neighborhood is being restored between WC BART, John Muir Medical Center and Marchbanks
  • Route 3 – New Martinez Community Shuttle: New route will serve Amtrak, CC Regional Medical Center, Adult Education Serivces, Kaiser, Arnold Dr, and the Senior Center
  • Route 19: Alignment changes to serve Sun Valley Mall and Diamond Blvd
  • Route 310: Two AM and two PM trips added between Concord BART and Clayton/Kirker
  • Route 314: Trip added leaving DVC at 6:10pm
  • 600 Series: Changes to the 611, 613, 616, and 619 school day service

Agency: AC Transit
Changes Take Effect: August 23
Full Details: http://www.actransit.org
Digest:

  • Line 800 will operate more frequently on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning, with service every 20 minutes from 12:30am–6:30am On Sunday mornings, buses will operate every 30 minutes from 6:30am–7:30am
  • Line 76: Two new trips added heading toward El Cerrito del Norte BART on weekdays, leaving Hilltop Mall at 7:13am and 2:24pm
  • Minor schedule changes to Line 72R and G

WHEELSAgency: Wheels (LAVTA)
Changes Take Effect: August 22
Full Details: http://www.wheelsbus.com
Digest:

  • Route 70X has been modified to bypass Walnut Creek in the non-commute direction, operating directly from Dublin to Pleasant Hill in the AM and directly from Pleasant Hill to Dublin in the PM
  • Route 12/12X: Certain trips of the 12X and trips that begin at the Airway Park-n-Ride have been re-arranged within the schedule
  • Route 54: The 5:36am trip is to be discontinued
  • Route 503: The PM schedule has been re-arranged to accommodate Wells Middle School and Dublin High School with separate trips; the previously operated 5:30pm trip has been moved to 5:00pm in order to accommodate the after-school program at Dublin High School
  • Route 501: A second, later departure has been added in the PM to accommodate the after-school program at Dublin High School
  • Schedule changes to Route 3, 10, 12, 54, 70X, 501, 502, 503, 603, 607, 609, and 610

Agency: SolTrans
Changes Take Effect: August 15
Full Details: http://www.soltransride.com
Digest:

  • Minor adjustments to printed schedules for Route 80 & 80s (1-2 minutes) to accurately reflect travel time

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.

BART Seeking Rider Input on January 2016 Fare Increase

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BART carBART has announced a 3.4 percent regular fare increase, scheduled for January 1, 2016. The estimated $15 million in added annual revenue will fund BART’s highest priority capital needs including new rail cars, an automated train control system, and an expanded maintenance facility.
BART wants rider feedback and will be taking comments through April 28. You can send your input by email (fares@bart.gov), phone (510-464-6752), taking their online survey, or by fax or US mail. For more information, see the official BART press release.

Seniors: Free Clipper Cards & Transportation Options – April 28, 2015 in Livermore

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Senior Clipper CardSeniors and disabled persons in the Livermore area who are interested in transportation services or a free Senior Clipper Card, and instruction on how to use it, are invited to attend an event on Tuesday, April 28 in Livermore.
Free Senior Clipper Cards will be issued at the event, and attendees will receive instruction on how to use the cards on buses and trains. In addition, BART, Wheels bus (LAVTA) and Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) will be present to explain discounts available with Senior Clipper Cards and give information on transportation services that exist for seniors and the disabled.
The event will be held on Tuesday, April 28 from 10am until noon in the Palo Verde Room at the Livermore Community Center, located at 4444 East Avenue in Livermore. If you cannot attend, you can get information on discounts and apply for a Senior Clipper Card at ClipperCard.com.

WestCAT Testing Double-Decker Bus on LYNX Route (2015)

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If you ride WestCAT’s LYNX route, get ready to start seeing double!

Photo Courtesy WestCAT
Photo Courtesy WestCAT

AC Transit handed off a shiny, new 80-seat double-decker bus (on loan from manufacturer Alexander Dennis) to WestCAT earlier this week, and it went into active use today!

The double-decker bus will be part of the LYNX fleet for a demonstration period through March 26-April 13. In order to give everyone an opportunity to experience the new vehicle, the bus will be scheduled for use on various LYNX runs. WestCAT will use Twitter (@wccta), Facebook (facebook.com/wccta), and their website to advise customers on which runs the bus will be traveling on a particular day.
WestCAT is testing the bus to see if double-deckers would be a useful addition to the LYNX fleet. Those who ride the double-decker bus will be asked for feedback, which will be used to help the agency determine whether to consider acquiring similar buses. If the WestCAT Board of Directors decides to purchase double-decker buses, customers could see them in service as early as 2017.
For more information about the double-decker bus demonstration, visit westcat.org or call (510) 724-3331.

Concord's Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan Workshop – April 8, 2015

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You’re invited to help create a more walkable and bikeable Concord at a Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan Community Workshop on Wednesday, April 8.
Community input is vital to the creation of the Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan, which seeks to improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists to the City’s BART stations, guide investments in infrastructure, improve connections between the regional trails network and downtown, and improve safe access between schools, jobs, downtown, and other important areas of the city.
A light dinner, childcare, and Spanish translation services will be provided.
Accommodation for individuals with disabilities is available by request a minimum of 5 business days before the event. For more information, view the event flyer or call (925) 671-3152.
To give immediate feedback on how Concord might improve walking and biking conditions, or to read more about the Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan, visit the City of Concord’s information page.

Vital Signs: A New Website from the MTC (2015)

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In late January, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission unveiled their new Vital Signs website. Drawing from over 20 years of data, the website offers interactive, customizable charts and graphs on various aspects of transportation in the Bay Area. According to the MTC, the idea behind the project is to allow Bay Area residents, “to track the region’s progress toward reaching key transportation, land use, environmental and economic policy goals.” The MTC plans to add land use and economic development data to the site in the spring and data relating to environmental and safety questions in the summer.

Vital_SignsVital_Signs_measures

Because of the interactive nature of the site, users can essentially create their own charts and graphs by choosing which cities, counties or metro areas are displayed. It’s a way to track both changes over time as well as differences between communities and regions. You can select various transportation performance indicators, called ‘measures’, relating to commuting, congestion, transit reliability and ridership, traffic volume, pavement condition, bridge and transit condition, and transit system efficiency.
It’s quick and easy to change a chart or graph to reflect the information you want to see. For example, if you visit Vital Sign’s ‘Transit Ridership’ page and scroll down to ‘Local Focus’, by clicking on the names of transit agencies you can select/deselect them. In this particular example, the result is a Contra Costa-focused graph:
CCC_Transportation_Graph
Want to know what pavement conditions are like in your area? You can see general results or street-by-street results depending on how much you zoom in:

Pavement_Condition_regionPavement_Condition_street

For people who want to go beyond the interactive site and work with the raw data, the MTC has made it easy to access. Just click on the ‘Data Center’ icon in the website’s top-right corner.
You’ll find the new website at vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov. For a video tutorial on how to use the Vital Signs website, check out the video below:

Transit Service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2015

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Some transit agencies will be operating on non-weekday schedules on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Monday, January 19. Here are the transit schedules which will be in effect:

  • County Connection: Regular weekday schedule
  • Capitol Corridor: Regular weekday schedule
  • BART: Saturday schedule
  • Wheels: Enhanced Saturday schedule; No service on Rapid
  • WestCAT: Express J, DAR, Local (11, 19) – Saturday schedule; LYNX – Limited Holiday service
  • AC Transit: Sunday schedule
  • Tri Delta Transit: Sunday schedule (only Route 392, 393, 394 and 395 in operation)

Americans Taking Transit in Record Numbers (2014)

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Lynx Bus - WestCAT
Photo courtesy of WestCAT

A recent report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) shows that people in the US are taking transit in record numbers.  This high level of ridership hasn’t been seen since 1956, with almost 10.7 billion trips taken in 2013 — making it the eighth consecutive year with over 10 billion trips on public transportation.
Two of the important factors involved in the rise in ridership are economic recovery and the investments made by transit agencies to expand systems and improve services. APTA President Michael Melaniphy said, “When more people are employed, public transportation ridership increases, since nearly 60 percent of the trips taken on public transportation are for work commutes… We’re seeing that where cities have invested in transit, their unemployment rates have dropped, and employment is going up because people can get there.”
An interesting side-note is that the increased demand for public transportation flies in the face of conventional wisdom that past a certain price point, transit use rises and falls with gasoline prices.  In 2008, with gas prices between $4 and $5 a gallon, the number of transit trips taken (10.59 billion trips) was still lower than for 2013 (10.65 billion trips), when gas averaged under $4 a gallon.
Will the demand for transit continue to grow? Based on the data, Mr. Melaniphy says it will. “There is a fundamental shift going on in the way we move about our communities. People in record numbers are demanding more public transit services and communities are benefiting with strong economic growth… This is a long-term trend. This isn’t just a blip.”
Follow the links for more facts from APTA’s 2013 report or to view the complete report.

Active Transportation to Get $360 Million (2014)

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Caltrans, regional transportation agencies and the federal government have combined funds to provide $360 million in grants for the Active Transportation Program (ATP).  Active Transportation is a term used to describe walking, biking, and transit.  The funds for ATP will be targeted at projects like bike lanes, safer intersections for pedestrians, safety improvements leading to and around transit stops, and non-infrastructure programs like Safe Routes To School safety education outreach.
Jeanie Ward-Waller is the California advocacy organizer for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. She said this is the most money by far that has been offered to improve walk/bike routes.  But she said that it is also unique because the priorities for awarding the money are not just about transportation. Part of the decision about awarding the money will be based on potential boosts to public health. Some money is earmarked for projects in disadvantaged communities.  “It’s watershed in terms of supporting walking and biking, but it’s also a watershed in how it is being targeted,” Ward-Waller said. “I think it’s a new standard about how we are approaching transportation and prioritizing things like public health and sustainability and making sure equity is a lens.” Read the full article in California Report.
 

Getty Images
Getty Images

Hilton Concord Employs Commute Alternatives (2014)

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Hilton Concord
Hilton Concord is located off of I-680 and Willow Pass Road

Staff recently visited the Hilton Concord as part of the Contra Costa Green Business Program certification process.  We were delighted to learn that the Hilton encourages both hotel employees and guests to think about using alternative ways of traveling.

  • Hilton employees are eligible for pre-tax commuter benefits to pay for transit expenses
  • Nearly all employees live within a 10 mile radius of the hotel
  • Around 50% of employees  take the bus, bike or walk to work. A County Connection bus stop is located in front of the hotel entrance and the Iron Horse Regional Trail runs behind the property
  • Bike racks are available to employees and guests alike
Hilton Concord Bike Rack
Hilton Concord Bike Rack2
  • A complimentary shuttle to and from the Concord BART station is available to hotel guests
  • Eight (8) electric vehicle plug-in vehicle charging stations are available to the public; six (6) Level II and two (2) DC fast chargers on the Blink Network
Blink Network Level 2 Chargers
Blink Network Level 2 Charger at Handicap Space
Blink Network DC fast charger

We can’t wait to see what Hilton Concord does next!

See other sustainable practices Hilton Concord has implemented.

Freeway Maps as Public Transit Corridors

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Metro Rail and Liner Map - Spring 2012

A map of Los Angeles’ current rail network. Image credit: Kriston Lewis

Los Angeles is being hailed for its steady revival of the thriving rail system it once had, but the current plan to create a convenient network that connects the whole county is still 30 years away.  The Los Angeles rail system has seen rapid growth in usage with the most recent addition, the Expo Line, which was completed earlier this year.
Now, let’s imagine what the freeway system in L.A. would like like if  it was a rail system?  We have an idea thanks to “Stonebrown Design,” who has put together maps of L.A.’s freeway system as though it were a rail system:

LA Freeway Map

Los Angeles’ freeway system, seen in rail map form. Screen-grab via: Stonebrown Design

Comparing the above Stonebrown Design map to the current Metro Rail map there is a clear visualization demonstrating that rail doesn’t serve as many people as the freeways do (yet!).

To see more detailed maps of L.A.’s freeways with a “public transit vision,”  head over Stonebrown Design’s Greater Los Angeles Freeway System Map page (soon you’ll be able to purchase prints as well, due to a rather successful Kickstarter campaign).

Student Bag Artwork Contest (2014)

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Calling all student artists!

We need your creative talent to design a cool graphic to be featured on the 511 Contra Costa reusable bag that is distributed across Central and East Contra Costa County.  The winning artist will receive a $50 gift card to the movies and his/her artwork featured in the latest edition of our reusable bag!

What is the theme?beachtote

“Explore New Ways to Get Around”: carpool, transit, bike, skateboard and walk.  Your artwork should show how these ways environmentally-friendly ways of getting around help reduce pollution and promote cleaner air.

What are the requirements?

  1. Use the 17×11 cardstock paper supplied by 511 Contra Costa.
  2. Use of up to three (3) colors is allowed.  (Note: Black is considered one color. You can use the white background of the paper as another source of color.)
  3. Include three (3) logos in the artwork:

–  511 Contra Costa (should be featured prominently)
–  Contra Costa Transportation Authority
–  BAAQMD Transportation Fund for Clean Air

     4. Sign your work!

What are the contest rules?

  • Artwork contest ends  Friday, February 28, 2014.  Entries due by 5 pm Thursday, February  27, 2014 at  City of Antioch City Hall; or Friday, 12:00 noon,February 28, 2014 at 511 Contra Costa in Pleasant Hill.
  • Artwork submitted must be from a student enrolled in a middle school within the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Martinez, Oakley, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek and the surrounding unincorporated areas.
  • He/she must have permission of parent/guardian to enter in the contest by acknowledging and signing the Parent Guardian Release Form.

Continue reading “Student Bag Artwork Contest (2014)”

BART Fares to go up January 1, 2014

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Clipper CardBART fares will increase by 60 cents for the longest trip and 25 cents for shorter trips on January  1, 2014. The fare hike is part of the BART’S regularly scheduled inflation-based increase program established in 2003.
The agency’s nine-member elected board has earmarked the estimated $325 million in additional fare proceeds through 2020 to pay for new rail cars, improvements at its Hayward maintenance yard and a new train control system.
For full details, see the updated fare chart.

Transit and Vanpool Commuter Benefits to be Reduced in 2014

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Fireworks in Pinole, CA in Contra Costa CountyTransit riders and vanpoolers who take advantage of pre-tax commuter benefits with their employer will find that their maximum monthly limit decrease to $130 starting January 1, 2014 from $245 in 2013.
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (HR 8) restored the pre-tax transit and vanpool commuter benefits to be on par with the qualified parking benefit temporarily for the 2013 calendar year. That parity ends December 31, 2013.
At this time, the 2014 monthly limits for qualified monthly transportation benefits are:

  • up to $130 per employee per month for public transportation and vanpool
  • up to $250 per employee per month for qualified parking, or
  • up to $380 per employee per month for both public transportation and qualified parking

Qualified bicycle commuting reimbursements will remain unchanged at $20 per month in the new year.
Congress will have to pass legislation to make any changes to the 2014 transit and vanpool limits.
See the IRS Bulletin regarding the new monthly limits.
For more information about Transportation Fringe Benefits, visit the Internal Revenue Code Section 132 (F), as amended by TEA-21, Title IX, Section 910.

Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program Public Workshop (2013)

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BAAQMD
mtc_logo_large
The staff of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will conduct public workshops to present, discuss, and receive comments on draft Regulation 14, Rule 1: The Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program.
What is the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program?
California Senate Bill 1339, signed into law in fall 2012 created the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program (Program).  Employers with 50 or more full-time employees in the Bay Area are required to provide commuter benefit options to their employees.

  1. Employers can select one of the following four commuter benefit options to offer to their employees:
  2. The option for employees to pay for their transit or vanpool expenses with pre-tax dollars, as allowed by current federal law;
  3. A transit or vanpool subsidy to reduce, or cover, employees’ monthly transit or vanpool costs;
  4. A low-cost or free shuttle, vanpool, or bus service operated by or for the employer; or
  5. An alternative method that would be equally as effective as the other options in reducing single-occupant vehicle trips (and/or vehicle emissions).

Building on the success of similar programs adopted in the cities of San Francisco, Berkeley and Richmond, as well as the San Francisco International Airport, the Program facilitates a regional approach to encourage the use of sustainable commute modes, such as public transit, ridesharing, bicycling and walking, in the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality.
In the Bay Area, where these programs are already in place, most employers have chosen the pre-tax option (option 1 above), which can provide economic benefits to both employers and employees through tax savings.  Employers can reduce payroll taxes (approximately 9 percent of subject wages), and employees can lower their commute costs by up to 40 percent.
Plan Implementation
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission are currently developing plans for adopting and implementing the Program, and will conduct public workshops to present, discuss and receive comments on the Program.  View dates and locations of upcoming workshops.
See also New Bay Area Commuter Benefit Policy

Google Maps Transit Directions Move In RIght Direction

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A major update is in the works for Google’s Maps relative to transit directions could be very exciting. As noted on Human Transit, key changes are being made to Google’s transit directions, including:

  • Offering alternatives based on frequency of transit lines
  • Mapping other transit lines in the area along one’s route
  • Accounting for lines whose paths duplicate service over a section of a trip

Imagine using Google Maps for transit to map your transit trip. Under the current version of Google Maps, you may routed to a bus line that includes a transfer to a bus line that only runs every 30 minutes, because it makes for the “shortest” trip since you’ll only have to wait a minute to catch it.  It could be you miss that bus by a minute due to an unexpected delay and suddenly find yourself waiting a half hour until the next bus arrives. In the updated Google Maps directions, you will be also be shown nearby transit lines that, while they may be a little further away from your transfer point, run more frequently and thus are more reliable and convenient in catching to reach your destination on time. In short, Google will show a more complete menu of transit possibilities, which will show more realistic and reliable routes and leave greater options for users.
To learn about other Google Maps direction updates, see the below video:

Video credit: Google Maps
For more insightful commentary on the coming Google Maps transit updates, be sure to check out Seattle Transit Blog and Human Transit.

Don't Forget, The County Connection 2013 Summer Youth Passes Now Available!

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CCCTA/(Contra Costa) County Connection Gillig Phantom, Dublin, Ca.
Photo credit: La Wad
Just a quick reminder, The County Connection’s Summer Youth bus passes are now on sale– here’s the official announcement:

Following a decades-old tradition The County Connection is offering a deeply discounted Summer Youth bus pass to help students get around during the summer.
The 20-Ride Summer Youth Pass sells for $15 and is available now for youths age 6-18. Summer Youth passes are accepted on all County Connection regular fixed-route buses. If using the Summer Youth Pass on an Express route at additional quarter is needed.
County Connection allows more than one person to use a single bus pass, making it easier for families with multiple children, or for those planning group outings.
The pass is valid from June 9 through September 30th, and is available through the mail, at most sales outlets, or online.  For more information about this program, call Customer Service center 676-7500 or visit www.countyconnection.com

Need inspiration for how you can put a Summer Youth pass to good use? Check out our Transit and Trails post!
 

Two Thumbs Up For The County Connection's Real Time Bus Tracker

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About half a year ago, the County Connection introduced “Bus Tracker,” the latest upgrade to County Connection’s on-board computer system that provides real time arrival predictions for any bus stop in the system. Since the upgrade, the agency has received nothing but positive feedback from transit riders. Take, for example, this comment from Gabe Griffith, president of the Contra Costa Chapter of the California Council of the Blind:

“Thank you for introducing Bus Tracker. It works great with the VoiceOver speech output on the iPhone. I’ve used it several times and it’s always been accurate. When I get my message that the bus is due to arrive at my stop, the bus shows up within a minute. I like that if a bus is running a little late, Bus Tracker will give actual arrival times, rather than scheduled arrival times. Two thumbs up!”

Real-time data that allows riders to track buses is the kind of improvement that truly makes transit more accessible, and convenient to the public– two thumbs up, indeed!
For a refresher of what exactly Bus Tracker is and how you can take advantage of it, see the below video

Video credit: h2MediaLabs
(Note: Passengers only need access to the Internet to see where buses are on-route, and to see when the next bus is predicted to arrive at any given stop.  Riders are encouraged to set up a personalized account to receive arrival alerts via text or email messages. Simply visit www.countyconnection.com and click the Bus Tracker button to get started.
County Connection is currently in the process of creating a downloadable application to make using Bus Tracker even more convenient on mobile devices.)

A Map of California Rail (2013)

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california rail map
Bay Area rail lines– more extensive than you thought, huh? Screen grab via: California Rail Map
It’s not hard to access a map of California’s highway system– from google maps to regional maps, highways are visible and this comes as no surprise. What is surprising however, is that it is only now has someone compiled a map of California’s extensive (and growing) rail system.
The team at California Rail Map has put together a map of California featuring:  Amtrak, BART, Muni, VTA, Caltrain, Altamont Commuter Express, Sacramento Regional Transit, NCTD, San Diego Trolley, LA Metro, and Metrolink (in addition to key bus and ferry connections between rail services).
The end result – a rather impressive map – highlights many possible ways to explore California’s gold, car-free!
For more information, head over to California Rail Map’s website.  And rail enthusiasts who just can’t get enough, make sure to check California Rail Map out on facebook for more impressive maps, infographics, and conversation about high-speed rail.
Oh yeah, and don’t forget to download your own California Rail Map.