Latest news with #ACTransit
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
East Bay's AC Transit overhauls nearly 85% of routes in major service shakeup
Millions of East Bay commuters are adjusting to sweeping AC Transit changes that took effect Sunday, impacting nearly 85% of bus routes across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The overhaul, prompted by post-pandemic travel shifts and a budget deficit, includes cutting some low-ridership lines and increasing service on high-demand routes. For Oakland resident Rosemarie Kiyemba, the change meant an unexpected delay on her way to work. She usually takes the 33 bus every Sunday, catching it at her downtown stop around 11:30 a.m. But on this Sunday, she waited 25 minutes — and it never came. "Maybe it came earlier than expected or maybe it didn't come at all. And I'm still waiting here, I'm still waiting for the next scheduled bus," she said. Kiyemba admitted she hadn't checked the new signage at her stop, where the 33 line had been discontinued. "I wish I looked at the sign earlier because I just saw the 88 go by. If I had known, I would have hopped on it. Honestly, it's a learning experience. You learn and now I know. Hopefully, when I go to work, they'll be OK," she said. Running late, she ordered a rideshare instead. AC Transit spokesperson Robert Lyles said the changes, part of the agency's "Realign" service plan, are a necessary response to lower ridership and limited funding. "We certainly knew that we were dealing with fewer riders, and that also meant we were dealing with less resources. We simply can't afford to operate the same number of buses that we did prior to 2020," he said. "So what we're doing is after two years [of study], we found out how to best utilize the money that we have." Since the pandemic, ridership has remained at 85% of pre-2020 levels, leaving the agency with a $4.5 million budget deficit. Lyles said AC Transit is dipping into its reserves to cover the shortfall this year. Under the new plan, 104 lines from Richmond to Fremont are being adjusted. Some lower-ridership routes are cut, while lines with heavy demand are getting more frequent service or new routes. The changes also account for the rise in hybrid and remote work schedules. Some riders say they are still figuring out how the new system works. "I don't understand all the changes, but I guess they've got to do them," said Michael Watts, another AC Transit passenger. Peaches Payne, who also rides AC Transit, was more philosophical. "I don't get frustrated. Life is too short. Just have to be patient," she said. Despite losing her route, Kiyemba still supports public transportation. "It's really expensive to have a car," she said. Lyles said some changes could be reversed if more funding becomes available in the future. State lawmakers are discussing a regional tax measure to support all Bay Area transit agencies, but nothing has been finalized. Full details of the new routes and schedules are posted on AC Transit's website, where riders can search by city or route. BART will also make minor schedule adjustments starting Monday to better coordinate with AC Transit, aiming to shorten transfer times across the region.
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
AC Transit rolls out major changes covering 85% of bus lines
AC Transit announced major bus line changes that go into effect Sunday and will impact 3 million monthly riders in the East Bay. The Alameda County transit agency said the changes will alter 85% of its bus lines from Richmond to Fremont in an attempt to provide riders with more reliable service. 'Shaped by two years of rider feedback, in-depth analysis, and equity, Realign is an ambitious effort to right-size the bus network in response to hybrid and remote work trends, changing ridership patterns, and ongoing fiscal challenges,' AC Transit officials wrote in a statement. In addition to premiering bus lines, other changes include where and how often buses stop in neighborhoods. In some areas, certain bus lines will discontinue service, the agency said. AC Transit said it's also making improvements at 1,500 bus stops, including adding new bus top flags and zip-tied pole signs that provide detailed information on the changes.
San Francisco Chronicle
07-08-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: New AC Transit service to East Bay parks is good, but some riders are being left behind
Regarding 'The East Bay just got some good, and much-needed, transit news' (Open Forum, Aug. 5): Our East Bay parks are indeed a treasure. I visit them frequently and applaud AC Transit's recognition that parks are not a luxury but an 'integral part of our lives.' But as a senior dependent on buses that serve North Berkeley, Kensington and El Cerrito, I am finding it difficult to fully celebrate. The 'good news' comes with a cost: Budget constraints of the Realignment result in the diminution of lines that some of us consider vital. Lines 7 and 67 will drop from every 30 minutes to once per hour. I may have time, but many people depend on them to get to school, work and BART stations. I remember when the 7 ran every 20 minutes. It is sad that we are contracting public transit when we should be relying less on automobiles for the sake of the climate. I also fear that reduced service will erode ridership, making these and other curtailed lines targets for elimination in the next budget reduction. I want to be joyful and will be when society makes public services a priority. Beverlee French, Kensington Home ownership is harder Regarding 'Lay no Prop 13 guilt trips on older homeowners ' (Letters to the Editor, Aug. 3): Forty years ago, college-educated people could typically afford to become homeowners. The problem is that over the years, due to Proposition 13, this has become increasingly impossible for young people like me to achieve. We need to recognize that not all young people are YIMBYS with tech salaries, and that for the majority of college-educated young people, owning a home will never be possible under Prop 13. Prop 13 hurts everyone. It allows corporations to avoid paying billions in property taxes annually, which could fund services that many seniors rely on, such as Meals on Wheels and public transit. And because of Prop 13, a disproportionate burden falls upon young taxpayers to make up for lost revenue. Letter writer Pat Marriott seemingly failed to realize this and painted the younger generation as problematic. When I am a senior, I hope to have more sympathy for the young people. Lynda Otero, San Francisco Remodel is imposition Regarding 'A home remodel is dividing Sausalito and turning neighbors into enemies. But who's really to blame?' (Emily Hoeven, July 26): While the drama between neighbors is unfortunate, I have to side with the opposition to the home remodeling. The conversion of a 1,300-square-foot craftsman home into a larger three-story house plus an accessory dwelling unit (for renters?) will need more than two parking spaces when fully occupied, but no additional parking is planned. A taller structure will block the sunlight, and trees will probably be cut down — I always feel bad for the trees. It's likely to be less pretty and more crowded. The remodel and ADU are not going to create affordable housing (which everyone wants) unless that ADU is subject to the affordable-unit requirement. You can call me a NIMBY, but when the government and one couple tell the whole community what they will have to submit to, it's unfair. Lesa Ross, Alameda Take good with bad Regarding 'Being called 'Jew' offends me. Should it be banned? Who gets to decide?' (Letters to the Editor, Aug. 5): Life is offensive when you choose to make it offensive. My WASP mother (as in White Anglo-Saxon Protestant; who uses this term anymore?) welcomed a Jew into our family as an in-law. I was the first to bring in a Catholic, proudly. It took the next generation to bring in a Hindu. We in the U.S. are truly a melting pot. We simply need more education on the good and the bad of this by viewing our history with honesty and speaking of our remarkable diversity. This puts much on our cities, schools, cultural groups, faith groups and, yes, our families, to share the beauty of our diversity. Let's celebrate this diversity. Keeping historic names fits in, too. It chronicles what has been. We decide our future. Priscilla Rich, Danville
San Francisco Chronicle
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
Fire near tracks causes disruption in BART service between Hayward and Union City
BART service was temporarily suspended and then restored between Hayward and Union City Wednesday afternoon because of a fire adjacent to the tracks, the transit agency said. There was a 20-minute delay at the stations, and riders could get on Bus 99 with AC Transit to commute between the two destinations. No further details were available.
San Francisco Chronicle
27-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Don't overlook these negative impacts from Bay Area casual carpooling
Regarding 'Some commuters want to bring back the Bay Area's casual carpool. Here's when' (Bay Area, June 24): It's important to differentiate the 'casual' practice from actual carpooling. In the 50-some years of taking on an extra rider or two to skirt the Bay Bridge back-up, drivers have congested traffic in HOV lanes and skimmed fare-paying riders from AC Transit's transbay service. Before COVID, the line serving San Francisco from my neighborhood had fewer than half as many buses scheduled for the morning commute as there were returning in the afternoon. Carpools are great for people who are heading to the same off-the-transit-grid destination, who share resources, and who are granted parking or a stipend for making the effort to minimize one driver per car commuting. Casual carpooling promotes personal car driving and is, essentially, a fare-jumping tactic for would-be transit riders. Cynthia Ahart Wood, Oakland Upzoning is un-Berkeley YIMBY arguments misstate the excesses of the proposed Middle Housing upzoning. It will encourage dense, taller market-rate rentals (5 to 7 units per lot). The increased bulk is counter to the intimate scale and openness that people seek out in Berkeley. The outcome of the proposed upzoning will make land even more expensive; the rosy vision of equity building for economically disadvantaged residents, as touted by Owens, will not happen. We don't need this gentrifying upzoning. Previous zoning regulations can provide more cost-accessible infill housing. Huge numbers of high-rise developments have been built or approved; we can reach our quota of state-required units without adopting extreme infill upzoning. For the Chronicle to disingenuously advance the developer-serving YIMBY arguments is a real disservice. Peggy Radel, Berkeley Attack may unleash Iran The U.S.-Israel strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have inspired two opposing narratives. Former National Security Adviser John Bolton calls them a decisive blow, potentially triggering the end of the Iranian regime. He envisions a crumbling theocracy, weakened by unrest and economic strain, and believes the attacks may finally eliminate a looming nuclear threat. But Carnegie Foundation's nuclear policy expert, James M. Acton, offers a more sobering assessment: Iran's program is damaged, not destroyed. Its stockpile of highly enriched uranium was likely moved beforehand; its scientists and technical infrastructure remain intact. Iran could easily reconstitute its program within a year, or sooner. More troubling, Acton warns the strikes may push Iran to abandon its long-held threshold status and build a bomb. The message to Tehran is stark: strategic ambiguity no longer ensures security. Worse, the attacks risk unraveling global nonproliferation norms, especially as Iran further reduces cooperation with the IAEA. Military action cannot erase expertise. Small, hidden facilities could soon replace bombed-out ones. If diplomacy is not revived, the strikes may mark a dangerous miscalculation. We've seen this movie before — in Iraq and Libya. If Acton is correct, the ending may not bring resolution, but an emboldened nuclear adversary. Andrew D. Forsyth, Berkeley Create real fixes Regarding 'Adding freeway lanes doesn't fix traffic. Why does California keep wasting billions on it?' (Open Forum, June 24): I have heard that building wider freeways is like loosening your belt to solve your obesity problem. The difficulty stems from how much our state government is siloed, making it hard to share resources to most effectively come up with solutions to problems that cut across departmental boundaries. As the op-ed points out, affordable housing, highways, public transit and climate change adaptation must all be factored into a truly holistic solution.
