Attend Jan. 23rd Hearing on Service Changes

News Articles
01/13/2003

Bus service changes proposed for western Contra Costa and northern Alameda County will be discussed during two public hearings scheduled for 3:00pm and 6:00pm Thursday, Jan. 23, in the Board Room at 1600 Franklin Street in downtown Oakland.

AC Transit’s Service Deployment Plan (SDP) proposes to restructure much of today’s bus service network, reducing redundancy and changing schedules in areas where patronage is light while better meeting mobility needs in heavily-traveled corridors. Additionally, Phase One proposals would reduce or eliminate several lightly-patronized neighborhood bus lines later this year.

“The deployment plan is fashioned to introduce major service improvements,” said General Manager Rick Fernandez. “It also contains elements that achieve much-needed cost savings, enabling AC Transit to maximize service with admittedly limited revenues during these bleak economic times.”

One major aim is to improve high ridership bus routes, particularly ones (Lines 40, 43, 72, and 73) that now transport a significant number of AC Transit’s 236,000 daily riders. The goal is to increase patronage by up to 25 percent by significantly improving transit in the major travel corridors these lines serve.

Phase One “Rapid Bus” Service

SDP Phase One includes “Rapid Bus” service to replace today’s Line 72-L Limited in the San Pablo Avenue corridor beginning this summer (2003). Rapid Bus is a greatly-enhanced transit option that would speed up bus trips on the avenue by 20% compared to today’s schedules. Essential elements of Rapid Bus service include:

More service, with Rapid Bus trips in both directions every 12 minutes from 6:00am to 6:00pm daily

New low-floor, multi door coaches to speed up passenger boarding and alighting, greatly reducing the dwell-time buses spend in loading zones

Traffic signal automation, giving Rapid Bus trips priority at congested intersections

Extended intervals between Rapid Bus stops, speeding trips through the corridor

The SDP Phase One and Phase Two summary is summarized at: http://www.actransit.org/onthehorizon/sdp.wu

Public comment on the SDP proposals is invited.

For written comment to be considered during the public hearing, letters, facsimiles or e-mails must be received no later than 5:00pm Tuesday, January 21. Address written comments to AC Transit’s Planning Department, 1600 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94612; by facsimile to 510 891-7157; or by e-mail to planning@actransit.org.