AC Transit Reluctantly Votes to Cut Weekend, All-Nighter Service

Press Releases
09/24/2010

The AC Transit Board of Directors reluctantly voted 7 – 0 at its September 22nd meeting to reduce weekend bus service as well as eliminate four of six “All-Nighter” lines beginning in December 2010. The drastic cuts will help the financially challenged transit district reduce a projected $41 million budget deficit for the two year period ending June 2011.

The reduction of weekend and late night service will save the District approximately $11.1 million annually and will eliminate about 60 union jobs. Weekend bus service on 34 bus lines will be eliminated.

“I want to emphasize that delaying these cuts is not an option at this point,” said Interim General Manager Mary King. “Right now, this agency is like a patient in critical condition. AC Transit must act to stop the hemorrhaging now. We are applying tourniquets wherever possible in order to remain solvent and sustain some level of service for seniors, youth, disabled, working people and other riders who depend on AC Transit during these undeniably difficult economic times. Once we have stabilized the agency we will look for ways to restore service when funding to do so is available.”

The AC Transit Board of Directors and staff explained the financial situation the bus system is in to the people who packed its hearing room. The Board told riders and the public that a combination of a declining economy, coupled with funding losses from the state and federal governments, and a bus drivers’ union that has not wanted to compromise in contract negotiations has placed the District in a difficult financial situation.

Changes made by the Board’s decision are:

Weekend lines that will continue to operate include: Lines 1, 1R, 18, 20, 22, 26, 40, 45, 51A, 51B, 57, 60, 72, 72M, 73, 76, 88, 97, 99, 210 and 217.

Lines that will be cut include: Lines 7, 11, 12, 14, 21, 25, 31, 32, 49, 52, 54, 62, 65, 67, 68, 70, 71, 74, 85, 86, 89, 93, 95, 98, 242, 251, 275, 332, 345, 350, 376, 386, F, NL and O.

The discontinued All-Nighter service includes Lines 802, 805, 840 and 851. Lines 800 and 801 will not be affected.

This December cut will be the third service reduction this year by AC Transit. By the end of calendar year 2010, almost 20 percent of the District’s bus service will have been cut. In March, the District cut 7.8 percent of its bus service, and additional 7.2 percent of service cuts are scheduled to occur in October.

In July, the agency instituted a new contract with Amalgamated Transit Union workers to save $1.2 million a month and stave off more cuts. But the union sought a court order that overturned the contract and, subsequently, quashed the savings.

There is a slim chance that the cuts made by the board could be restored as the president of the bus drivers union, Amalgamated Transit Union, said that she would come back to the next Board meeting with a proposal that could impact the transit district’s financial situation.

In other action, the Board postponed a staff recommendation to save another $760,000 annually by consolidating agency’s paratransit service with three private paratransit operations. Board members said they wanted more time to determine whether the District’s paratransit service could become self-sustaining.

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