Ride Free on New Line M from March 17 to April 18

News Articles
02/21/2003

AC Transit is launching the region’s newest TransBay Express commuter bus service– Line M across the San Mateo Bridge – beginning Monday, March 17, with free fares for the inaugural month.

The new bus line links the East Bay with the Peninsula, providing limited-stop service between the Caltrans Park and Ride lot (on Center Street at Interstate 580) in Castro Valley and the Hillsdale Caltrain Station in San Mateo. Stops enroute include Castro Valley BART, Hayward BART, and Chabot College in the East Bay. On the Peninsula, Line M will deliver commuters to the Vintage Park and Metro Center business parks, the Foster City Public Library and City Hall, and Hillsdale Mall.

Line M is a weekday operation with seven scheduled trips in both directions during each morning and afternoon commute period. The speedy trip over the widened Hayward-San Mateo Bridge will take less than 30 minutes from Hayward BART to Foster City.

Comfortable new highway cruisers, funded under the Governor’s Traffic Congestion Relief Program, will be deployed on Line M. Passenger-friendly features of the new buses include high-back seats, reading lamps, and overhead storage racks.

The free-fare introductory period runs from Monday, March 17, through Friday, April 18. Beginning the following week, AC Transit’s regular TransBay basic fares will apply: $3 per trip for adults, $1.50 for riders 5 through 17, 65 and older, and those with certified disabilities. Riders can cut fares to as little as $2 per trip by using AC Transit’s 10-Ride Pass or 31-Day Pass (the latter is good for unlimited local East Bay bus rides, too).

Line M is part of the new Regional Express Bus program, coordinated by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). The service is funded during a three-year demonstration period by a $2 million federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant. Regional partners helping to develop the routing, stop locations, and service schedules include the MTC, Caltrans, SamTrans, municipal officials from Foster City, San Mateo, and Hayward, and West Bay business interests.

An online Line M schedule and map will be available here next week.

To receive a pocket timetable by mail, call (510) 891-4854.