AC TRANSIT HOSTS PUBLIC HEARINGS ON CONTINGENCY SERVICE PLAN

Board encourages community feedback on worst-case scenario to address projected deficit

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) Board of Directors is inviting riders and members of East Bay communities served by its more than 120 bus lines to attend public hearings and provide input on the proposed Contingency Service Plan.

The public hearings will take place Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in AC Transit’s General Office, Second Floor Board Room, 1600 Franklin Street in downtown Oakland.

The Board will not take final action at the October 14 hearings.

Instead, the hearings provide riders and community members an opportunity to speak directly to the Board. Public input will become part of the Board’s consideration of the Contingency Service Plan.

Preparing for a potential funding shortfall

The Contingency Service Plan prepares AC Transit for a “worst‑case” financial scenario: a projected annual deficit of an estimated $53 million and a four‑year funding shortfall of approximately $200 million beginning in 2028.

Without a long-term, sustainable funding source, AC Transit may be forced to make difficult reductions to bus service. Such reductions would be significant: the proposed plan anticipates a 16 percent service cut – about one in six service hours – resulting in less frequent buses, reduced operating hours, route changes, and as many as 300 jobs at risk.

“We hope that this plan never has to be implemented,” said Board President Diane Shaw. “But we also have a responsibility to prepare for the fiscal challenges ahead. Just as importantly, we need to hear directly from the riders and communities who rely on AC Transit before decisions about service are made.”

Protecting as much bus service as possible

The proposed Contingency Service Plan is designed to preserve as much of AC Transit’s network as possible while addressing the projected funding gap. Rather than broadly eliminating entire bus lines, the proposal seeks to maintain connections throughout the service area and protect the Primary Route Network, the backbone of AC Transit’s system.

Contingency Service Plan highlights

• Roughly 93% of AC Transit’s bus lines would remain in service, under the Contingency Service Plan
• On weekdays, Primary Route Network lines would continue to run every 15 minutes or better, where resources allow
• The Primary Route Network centers on Lines 1T, 6, 9, 18, 40, 51A, 51B, 52, 57, and the shared 72, 72M, and 72L corridor
• Other routes would operate approximately every 30 minutes, consistent with AC Transit service standards.
• Service would generally operate no less than 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; in some areas, service could operate approximately 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Transbay and All-Nighter service could also experience reductions or other changes.

Even in a worst‑case scenario, AC Transit remains committed to prioritizing service in Equity Priority Communities and corridors. We continue to evaluate factors such as income, access to a car, disability, age, language, housing costs, and other indicators of transit dependence. These communities include West and East Oakland, Downtown and North Oakland, South Berkeley, Richmond, and the San Pablo/Macdonald corridors.

Traffic impacts that can’t be ignored

If the Contingency Service Plan were implemented, AC Transit could be forced to remove as many as 100 buses from daily service. The scale of that reduction is significant. With 40-foot buses making up most of AC Transit’s fleet, a full bus can carry about as many passengers as 58 cars. Put another way, 100 buses represent the passenger-carrying capacity of approximately 5,800 cars.

The potential consequences extend beyond our bus stops. A recent regional report found that if some train stations closed, replacing that lost capacity through the Caldecott Tunnel during just one peak morning hour would require roughly 120 buses. That comparison puts the potential loss of as many as 100 AC Transit buses into perspective. Cutting that much daily bus capacity would not eliminate the need for those trips; it could push more people into cars and onto roads already struggling with congestion.

Read the Contingency Service Plan

Additional information about the proposed Contingency Service Plan is available at www.actransit.org/contingency-plan

Hearings are also hosted virtually

Those unable to attend the public hearings in person can participate virtually via Zoom at https://actransit.zoom.us/j/98487175063 or by phone at (669) 900-6833 using Webinar ID 984 8717 5063.

Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin interpretation will be provided during the hearings. Anyone who needs American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation or interpretation in another language may request those services by calling AC Transit at (510) 891-7201. Make requests at least 72 hours before the public hearing to allow sufficient time to arrange interpretation services.