AC Transit On the Move e-newsletter May 2014
News Articles
05/27/2014
In This Issue New Day Pass Offers Convenience, Value Title VI Policy Feedback Invited
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AC Transit is moving forward in bold new directions and making changes that will affect our customers for the better. We’re exploring innovative ways to improve bus service and support our community. In 2012, AC Transit launched A Better Ride, an ambitious program of service and performance improvements. Employees across all levels of the agency identified core goals and objectives to improve our customers’ transit experience. We’ve introduced major initiatives to increase reliability, enhance our fleet, and deliver more efficient service. Some tangible improvements include:
We will remain competitive by offering further improvements in efficiency, reliability and customer convenience. All of us at AC Transit are committed to providing A Better Ride, now and into the future. New Day Pass Offers Convenience, Value On July 1, AC Transit will unveil exciting changes to our array of fare options. Riders will be able to take advantage of a new Day Pass, providing unlimited travel on regular lines for just $5. Additionally, riders can receive discounts for single-trip fares paid with a Clipper card and price reduction for 31-Day local adult passes. As part of the fare transition, AC Transit will eliminate transfers. This policy follows industry trends designed to improve the efficiency and convenience of the fare system. We anticipate that improvements to the fare system will help build ridership, speed boarding, and increase Clipper card use. An extensive passenger education campaign is underway to inform customers of the new fare policy. Learn more about AC Transit’s new fare policies here. Title VI Policy Feedback Invited The AC Transit Board of Directors is considering new policies to ensure equitable distribution of its services and to guarantee that all members of the public can fully participate in the decision-making process. Interested persons may attend one of several meetings to be held in advance of a June 11th public hearing to formally gather comments on proposed Title VI policies. Feedback can be submitted at the meetings, as well as by email, U.S. mail, and phone. More information about the meetings, public hearing and the proposed policies can be found on our website. Mutual Aid Works The ability to effectively mobilize bus services during unexpected crises is a critical part of our region’s transportation system. Local emergencies and major service disruptions test both rescue readiness and the viability of the mutual aid pact among the region’s public transit agencies. During the past year, AC Transit provided more than 1,400 additional service hours, deployed nearly 1,300 bus operators, dispatchers, road supervisors and other staff, and supplied more than 600 extra bus runs in response to major service disruptions such as fires and major thoroughfare closures, which threatened to stifle the regional economy by leaving thousands of commuters with no means of transportation. All totaled, AC Transit provided an estimated 75,000 extra commuters to those who ordinarily do not use the service, but who would have been severely inconvenienced without it. Particularly noteworthy is our spontaneous response to a train derailment outside of AC Transit’s authorized service area in Walnut Creek. In order to immediately accommodate thousands of rush-hour commuters, AC Transit amassed coaches and operators, set up staging areas and mapped routes to direct its bus operators onto roadways in unfamiliar locations. It was a challenging task–accomplished with remarkable swiftness–that highlighted the versatility and readiness of AC Transit’s bus service as a solid backup for other public transportation agencies when needed. |
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