AC Transit

The District encompasses the following cities and unincorporated areas: Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, Richmond, San Leandro, Alameda, Castro Valley, Newark, San Pablo, El Cerrito, San Lorenzo, Ashland, Albany, Cherryland, El Sobrante, Piedmont, Fairview, Emeryville, Kensington, and East Richmond Heights. The District's bus lines also serve parts of some other East Bay communities, including Milpitas, Pinole, and Union City.

AC Transit serves many colleges and universities including the University of California, Berkeley; Stanford University; California State University, East Bay; Chabot College; Holy Names University; Peralta Colleges (Laney College, College of Alameda, Berkeley City College, and Merritt College), Contra Costa College; Ohlone College; Northwestern Polytechnic University; and Mills College.

Most routes connect with regional train service, primarily BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), in addition to ACE and Amtrak, including (among other trains) the Capitol Corridor. AC Transit routes also connect with several other regional transit services, including Union City Transit, SamTrans, WestCAT, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), Golden Gate Transit, the Alameda-Oakland Ferry, the Harbor Bay Ferry, Emery Go Round, SolTrans and FAST.

While most AC Transit service consists of local lines throughout the East Bay, the District also provides many Transbay lines. Most of these run across the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge to connect communities as distant as El Sobrante and Newark with San Francisco's Transbay Terminal (formerly the terminus of the Key System). Bus service is also provided across the San Mateo and Dumbarton bridges to the south.

Routes

Main article: List of AC Transit routes

AC Transit buses at Bay Fair BART Station.

Much of AC transit's ridership is skewed heavily towards a few heavily-trafficked local (as opposed to trans-bay) routes. As of 2013, the top five routes account for a third of all riders, and the top twelve routes account for more than half.[5]

Voters created the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in 1956 and subsequently approved a $16.5 million bond issue in 1959 enabling the District to buy out the failing privately owned Key System Transit Lines. In October 1960, AC Transit’s service began. The new District built up the bus fleet with 250 new “transit liner” buses, extended service into new neighborhoods, created an intercity express bus network, and increased Bay Bridge bus service.[6]

In 2003, the District introduced a San Mateo-Hayward Bridge route. Designated as Line M, the service connected the BART stations of Castro Valley and Hayward with Foster City and San Mateo's Hillsdale Caltrain station. A second San Mateo-Hayward Bridge route, Line MA, was added in 2006 and discontinued in 2007. (The M replaced the SamTrans 90E, which had been canceled in 1999.)

On June 30, 2003, a new "rapid bus" line operating on San Pablo Avenue was introduced. Designated as Line 72R (or San Pablo Rapid), the service connected Oakland with Richmond and operated at faster speeds than regular local service due to wide stop spacing and signal priority treatments.

In 2004, the District began service on Line U across the Dumbarton Bridge, connecting Stanford University with ACE and BART trains in Fremont. As part of a consortium of transit agencies (including AC Transit, BART, SamTrans, Union City Transit, and VTA), the District already operated Dumbarton Express bus service across the Dumbarton Bridge.

Beginning December 10, 2005, AC Transit began participating in the regional All Nighter network, providing 24-hour bus service throughout its service area to supplement BART service, which does not operate during owl hours. AC Transit had provided 24-hour service on many of its trunk lines prior to this date, except in the late 1990s due to budget limitations.

On July 30, 2007, AC Transit announced that it had entered into a 25-year partnership with SunPower, MMA Renewable Ventures, and PG&E to install solar energy systems at its facilities in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, improve local air quality, and save money on energy costs that could be used instead to spend on transit service.[7]

On March 28, 2010, several major service changes were implemented to reduce a severe budget shortfall. Changes included reduced service on local and Transbay lines, elimination of unproductive routes, splitting of the 51 into two sections (called as lines "51A" and "51B"), and the introduction of limited-stop line 58L (which, as of 2016, is discontinued).[8][9]

Starting in February 2011, all buses on Line 376 were being escorted by a marked Contra Costa County Sheriff's patrol vehicle through the unincorporated community of North Richmond. Line 376 provides late-night service through North Richmond and the nearby cities of Richmond, San Pablo, and Pinole. The escorts were introduced to improve the safety of the service, which had five serious incidents between 5 January and 9 February.[10]

On December 13, 2013, AC Transit adopted a new fare policy that brought changes to the transit system July 2014, including a new day pass that is in line with other transit agencies including VTA and SamTrans.[11] The policy is also designed to speed boarding and help keep buses on schedule, provide greater convenience and value for customers, and encourage more customers to switch to Clipper[12]

90th Avenue station under construction in December 2018

Line 72R
Contra Costa College El Portal Drive Stone Street Van Ness Avenue Vale Road San Pablo Dam Road Tulare Avenue Garvin Avenue I-80 Macdonald Avenue BART to Richmond El Cerrito Del Norte Potrero Avenue Moeser Lane Carlson Boulevard Solano Avenue (Albany) Cerrito Creek Path Gilman Street University Avenue Dwight Way Ashby Avenue SR 13 Alcatraz Avenue Stanford Avenue 40th Street I-580 30th Street I-980 West Grand Avenue Uptown Transit Center 19th Street Oakland 14th Street 12th Street 7th Street BART to Millbrae (via San Francisco) I-980 / I-880 3rd Street 2nd Street

East Bay BRT
Not yet in operation
BART to Richmond and Pittsburg/​Bay Point Uptown 14th Street BART to Millbrae (via San Francisco) City Center Harrison Street Madison Street 2nd Avenue 5th Avenue 10th Avenue 14th Avenue 20th Avenue 24th Avenue 28th Avenue 31st Avenue Fruitvale (34th Avenue) 39th Avenue High Street 48th Avenue 54th Avenue Seminary Avenue 63rd Avenue 67th Avenue 73rd Avenue 77th Avenue 82nd Avenue 86th Avenue 90th Avenue 95th Avenue 98th Avenue 103rd Avenue Durant Avenue Oakland San Leandro Georgia Way San Leandro Civic Center Downtown San Leandro SR 185 / SR 112 San Leandro BART BART to Fremont

A rapid bus line was introduced on San Pablo Avenue on June 30, 2003. Designated as Line 72R (or San Pablo Rapid), it operates from 6 am to 7 pm at 12-minute intervals on weekdays, and 7 am to 7 pm at 15-minute intervals on weekends and holidays. Bus stops are spaced 2/3-mile apart on average, running between Jack London Square (via 20th Street and Broadway) in Oakland and Contra Costa College in San Pablo, and buses receive signal priority at several intersections. Although the line does have scheduled timepoints en route, most buses typically travel along the route as fast (or as slow) as traffic allows.

On June 24, 2007, the success of line 72R made it a model for another rapid bus line that was introduced.[13][14] Line 1R (or International Rapid) operated on weekdays between Berkeley Way and Oxford Street in Berkeley and Bay Fair BART station, mainly along Telegraph Avenue, International Boulevard, and East 14th Street. Weekend and holiday service operated between downtown Oakland and San Leandro only.

Line 1R was eliminated on June 26, 2016. AC Transit is currently constructing a Bus Rapid Transit line along International Blvd.[15] AC Transit’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will operate between Uptown Oakland and San Leandro. Approved in 2012 by both cities, BRT will feature level boarding, pre-paid ticketing, and dedicated transit lanes along much of the corridor. The project is funded by Alameda County Measure B, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the State of California, and the Federal Transit Administration. The project broke ground in August 2016[16] and is expected to begin revenue service in summer 2020.[17] There are no plans for bus rapid transit along the Telegraph Avenue alignment of the 1R; the section between uptown Oakland and U.C. Berkeley is mostly served by present-day local line 6.

At its inception, AC Transit purchased the mixed White, Mack, and GM "old-look" bus fleet from its predecessor, the Key System. The ex-Key System buses were repainted in "clownface" livery, featuring a predominantly white (upper half) and orange (lower front) color scheme with teal side stripes, and AC Transit adopted a "wing" logo featuring the same colors. After its inception, the first new AC Transit orders were for GM New Look buses, which the agency advertised as "Transit Liners". AC Transit began New Look operation in late 1960.[18] AC Transit would continue to operate a mixed fleet of buses throughout the 1960s.

• 
  Key System #1860 with color-block livery
• 
  AC Transit #1811 purchased from Key System, repainted in "clownface" white and orange livery, featuring wing logo
• 
  AC Transit first-generation (TDH-5301) 40-ft GM New Look bus fleet in "clownface" and wing logo

AC Transit also pioneered the use of articulated buses in the United States; in March 1966 it was the first transit agency to use the Super Golden Eagle long-distance coach (originally designed and built for Continental Trailways; AC Transit designated it XMC-77 and called it the "Freeway Train"), primarily on Transbay service.[19] By 1970, AC Transit was one of six agencies to participate in a "super bus project" coordinated by the National Transportation Center (Pittsburgh) to write a specification for a higher-capacity bus; once the specification had been written, two prototypes would be built and tested to select a winner for a large group procurement of 100 buses to keep per-unit costs low.[20] Two European-built articulated buses were tested in the summer of 1974: a Volvo B58, and a MAN SG 192.[21][22] Riders received the M.A.N. bus favorably, and the specification was released for bid in 1975;[23] AC Transit placed an order for 30 buses in 1976 and deliveries began from the AM General/M.A.N. joint venture in 1978.[24]

• 
  AC Transit XMC-77, the "Freeway Train" (c.1966)
• 
  MAN SG 192 articulated bus during 1974 testing
• 
  GM New Look (#314) and MAN SG 220 (#1629) in traffic with matching "clownface" livery

For its rigid buses, AC Transit continued purchasing GM New Look buses through the early 1970s, then switched to purchasing Flxible New Look buses starting in 1974. Since the early 1980s, AC Transit began acquiring buses from Flyer, Neoplan, and Gillig. Around this time, AC Transit began ordering new buses in a "stripe" color scheme, featuring the same orange, teal, and white colors as the previous "clownface" livery. In the late 1990s, AC Transit added buses from NABI.[25] AC Transit supplemented these buses with a fleet of 45-foot over-the-road coaches purchased from Motor Coach Industries beginning in the early 2000s.

In 2003, AC Transit began purchasing low-floor buses from Van Hool. The Van Hool buses were assembled in Belgium and featured low floors and three doors (four doors on articulated models), which AC Transit touted as the key to bus rapid transit service between Berkeley and San Leandro along Shattuck, Telegraph, International Blvd, and East 14th Street.[26] At the same time, AC Transit rolled out a revised "stripe" livery featuring new colors (green and black), and a new logo.[27] The logo was simplified in 2014.[28]

• 
  Flyer D901 fleet with "clownface" livery similar to the New Looks
• 
  NABI 416 with 1980s "stripe" livery and wing logo
• 
  NABI 40-LFW with updated 2003 stripe livery, colors, and logo

After criticism over the use of federal funds to purchase foreign-made Van Hool buses and the tailoring of specification requirements to exclude domestic manufacturers,[29] AC Transit ordered locally-built Gillig buses in 2012.[30] In March 2013, AC Transit began operating the first of its new Gillig buses.[31] In August of the same year, AC Transit placed the first of its new New Flyer Xcelsior articulated buses into service.[32] Later that year, in November 2013, new Gillig buses with a suburban seating configuration and Transbay branding were introduced into service.[33]

• 
  MCI suburban coaches are primarily finished in green.
• 
  AC Transit #2152, Van Hool AG300 articulated in white with updated 2003 stripe livery (2012)
• 
  AC Transit #2203, a New Flyer XD60, at Jack London Square on 5 June 2013

All AC Transit buses are wheelchair accessible and have front-mounted bicycle racks. The MCI buses also feature luggage bay bicycle racks. AC Transit buses purchased after 2007 have air conditioning, as approved by the Board of Directors.[34]

Active fleet

Current Fleet[2]

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Quantity	Fleet Series	Fuel	Image
2003	MCI	D4500	45	39	6041-6079	Diesel
	Van Hool	A330	40	98	1001-1110
2006	Van Hool	A300K	30	51	5001-5051	Diesel
2007	Van Hool	AG300	60	10	2101-2110	Diesel
			60	14	2151-2165
2008	Van Hool	A300L	40	27	1201-1227	Diesel
		A300K	30	39	5101-5139	Diesel
2010	Van Hool	AG300	60	9	2191-2199	Diesel
		A300L FC	40	12	FC4-FC16	Hydrogen
2013	Gillig	Low Floor	40[44]	65	1301-1365	Diesel
	New Flyer	Xcelsior XD60[32]	60	23	2201-2223	Diesel
	Gillig	Low Floor	40[45]	54	6101-6155	Diesel
2014	Gillig	Low Floor	40	68	1401-1468	Diesel
2015	ElDorado National	Aerotech 220	24	10	3501-3510	Diesel
2016	Gillig	Low Floor	40	55	1501-1555	Diesel
	Gillig	Low Floor[46]	40	25	1556-1580	Diesel-Electric Hybrid
2017	Gillig	Low Floor	40	10	1581-1590	Diesel
2018	Alexander Dennis	Enviro500	42	15	6201-6215	Diesel
	New Flyer	Xcelsior XD60	60	29	2224-2252	Diesel
2019	Gillig	Low Floor	40	1	1591	Diesel-Electric Hybrid
	Gillig	Low Floor	40	35[43]	1601-1635	Diesel
	New Flyer	Xcelsior XDE60 (BRT model)	60	27[43]	2301-2327	Diesel-Electric Hybrid
	New Flyer	Xcelsior XHE40	40	10[43]	7017-7026	Hydrogen Fuel Cell
	New Flyer	Xcelsior XE40	40	5[43]	8001-8005	Battery Electric
	New Flyer	Xcelsior XHE60	60	1[43]		Hydrogen Fuel Cell (pilot program)

Retired fleet

Retired Fleet[48]

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Quantity	Fleet Series	Fuel	Image
1941–42	White	788[lower-alpha 1]	33	23	815-898[lower-alpha 2]	Gasoline
1944–45	White	798[lower-alpha 1]	35	91	900-999[lower-alpha 3]	Gasoline
1947–48	White	798[lower-alpha 1]	35	75	1000-1074	Gasoline
1946	GM	TGM-3609 Old Look[lower-alpha 1]	30' 9"	45	1300-1344	Gasoline[lower-alpha 4]
1946	GM	TGM-3609 Old Look[lower-alpha 1]	30' 9"	20	1200-1241	Diesel[lower-alpha 5]
1947	GM	TDH-4008 Old Look[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 6]	33	5	1401-1405	Diesel
1944	GM	TD-4006 Old Look[lower-alpha 7]	33	5	1500-1504	Diesel
1940–41	GM	TD-4001 Old Look[lower-alpha 8]	33	5	1501-1504	Diesel
1947–48	GM	TDH-4507 Old Look[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 6]	35	175	1700-1875[lower-alpha 9]	Diesel
1949	GM	TDH-4509 Old Look[lower-alpha 1]	35	25	1900-1924	Diesel
1950–51	GM	TDH-5103 Old Look[lower-alpha 1]	39' 6"	50	2000-2049	Diesel
1958	GM	TDH-4801 Old Look[lower-alpha 1]	37' 6"	21	2100-2120	Diesel
1947	Mack	C-41-GT[lower-alpha 1]	33' 2"	60	2501-2560	Gasoline
1960–61	GM	SDH-4501 New Look	35	57	100-156	Diesel
1961	GM	SDM-4501 New Look	35	5	300-304[lower-alpha 10]	Diesel
1961	GM	TDH-4516 New Look	35	50	400-449	Diesel
1961	GM	TDH-5301 New Look	40	125	500-624	Diesel[lower-alpha 11]
1961–62	GM	TDH-4517 New Look	35	43	700-712; 720-749	Diesel
1963–66	GM	TDH-5304 New Look	40	65	300-364	Diesel
1963–66	GM	TDH-4519 New Look	35	55	750-804	Diesel
1968–69	GM	T6H-5305 New Look	40	55	626-680	Diesel
1968	GM	T6H-4532 New Look	35	5	805-809	Diesel
1971–72	GM	T6H-5305 New Look	40	90	900-989	Diesel[lower-alpha 12]
1973	GM	T6H-5307N New Look	35	55	810-864	Diesel[lower-alpha 12]
1961 (1974)	GM	TDH-4517 New Look	29	13	700S-712S[lower-alpha 13]	Diesel
1974	Flxible	53102 New Look	40	120	180-299	Diesel
1975	Flxible	53102 New Look	40	36	8000-8035[lower-alpha 14]	Diesel
1976	Minibus	MBD-8002	25	29	2200-2228	Diesel
1978	M.A.N.	SG 220	60 articulated	30	1600-1629	Diesel
1980–82	Flyer	D901[lower-alpha 15]	40	170	1000-1169	Diesel
1980	Flyer	D901[lower-alpha 15]	35	155	2000-2019	Diesel
1982–84	Gillig	Phantom	40	226	1300-1390; 1400-1483; 1485; 1500-1549[lower-alpha 16]	Diesel
1982–83	Gillig	Phantom	35	51	2049-2099	Diesel
1983	Neoplan	AN440	40	61	1200-1260	Diesel
1984	Neoplan	AN408	26	3	2300-2302	Diesel
1983	M.A.N.	SG 310	60 articulated	15	1630-1644[lower-alpha 17]	Diesel
1983	Crown-Ikarus	286	60 articulated	15	1700-1714[lower-alpha 17]	Diesel
1988	New Flyer	D35HF	35	29	2400-2428	Diesel
1988–89	New Flyer	D40HF	40	79	2500-2578	Diesel
1989	New Flyer	D60HF	60 articulated	30	1800-1829	Diesel
1990	Gillig	Phantom	40	52	2601-2652	Diesel
1992	Gillig	Phantom	30	62	2701-2762	Diesel
1993	Gillig	Phantom	40	60	2801-2860	Diesel
1997	New Flyer	D60HF	60 articulated	30	1901-1930	Diesel
1997–98	NABI	416	40	204	2901-2971; 3001-3067; 3101-3166	Diesel
2000	MCI	D4500	45	30	6001-6030	Diesel
2001	MCI	D4500	45	10	6031-6040	Diesel
2000–02	NABI	40LFW	40	84	4001-4021; 4051-4090;[lower-alpha 18] 7201-7223	Diesel
2003	Van Hool	AG300 (articulated)	60	57	2001-2057	Diesel

Notes

1. Purchased from Key System in 1960.
2. Discontiguous range. 815, 816, 821, 822, 826, 831, 832, 837, 843, 854, 859, 864, 865, 867, 873, 875, 881, 884, 885, 887, 895, 896 and 898.
3. Discontiguous range. 901, 918, 923, 939, 942, 954, 962, 972, 979 not purchased.
4. 20 buses were repowered with diesel engines, renumbered into 1200 series
5. 20 buses were repowered with diesel engines in 1961, renumbered directly from former 13xx fleet numbers: 1200, 1202, 1203, 1205, 1209, 1212, 1213, 1215, 1217, 1220, 1224, 1228, 1230, 1232, 1233, 1234, 1235, 1236, 1238, and 1241.
6. Originally built for Omaha & Council Bluffs Railway, traded to Key System in 1951.
7. Purchased from Long Beach to provide parts for diesel conversion of 13xx. Used for storage afterwards.
8. Purchased from Fresno City Lines to provide parts for diesel conversion of 13xx. Originally from San Diego. Some were rebuilt and used for revenue service.
9. 1700-1859 were originally purchased by Key System; 1860-1874 were ex-Omaha buses.
10. Renumbered to 175-179 in 1963.
11. Replaced the 8xx, 9xx, 10xx White-manufactured buses purchased from Key System.
12. Fitted with Environmental Improvement Kit to control smog-forming emissions.[49]
13. Shortened from 700-712 for on-demand service; 708 served as the prototype.
14. Originally purchased under a contract with BART for shuttle service; after the contract was canceled, repainted in AC Transit livery.
15. Purchased after a contract with GMC for RTS buses fell through.
16. 1500-1549 were originally purchased for BART contract service and repainted into AC Transit livery at the end of that contract.
17. Originally built for VTA, sold to AC Transit in 1988.
18. 4089 and 4090 do not have a back window

Experimental and prototype fleet

Experimental and prototype fleet[48]

Year	Manufacturer	Model	Length (feet)	Quantity	Fleet Series	Fuel	Image
1966 (1958)	Kässbohrer A.G.	Super Golden Eagle	60 articulated	1	XMC-77[lower-alpha 1]	Diesel
1967	GM	TDH-5303 New Look	40	1	XMC-53 (625)[lower-alpha 2]	Diesel
1971 (1969)	GM	T6H-5305 New Look	40	1	666[lower-alpha 3]	Steam
1973 (1961)	GM	TDH-4517 New Look	29	1	708S[lower-alpha 4]	Diesel
1983	Neoplan	Skyliner	40	1	[lower-alpha 5]	Diesel
1986 (1963)	GM/Flyer	TDH-5304 New Look & D901	40	1	311[lower-alpha 6]	Diesel
1999	APS Systems	Custom low-floor	40	1	999[lower-alpha 7]	Propane-Electric
2002	Thor	ThunderPower	30	1	4285[lower-alpha 8]	Hydrogen

Notes

1. Experimental articulated bus dubbed the "Freeway Train".[50] Trial began in March 1966.[19][51]
2. Originally built for Muni with GM's first eight-cylinder engine; after Muni testing was complete, tested by AC Transit and accepted into revenue service as 625.[52]
3. Developed under a 1969 grant.[35] Converted to and ran under steam power between Sept 27, 1971 and Sept 29, 1972. Power and acceleration were improved, but the reciprocating steam engine had higher fuel consumption.[53][36] Converted back to diesel after experiement concluded.
4. Sectioned and shortened to 29 feet (8.8 m) as a prototype for on-demand service.[54] The remaining 7xx series buses were also shortened.
5. Tested in April 1983. 73 seats total, 53 on upper level.[55]
6. Combined the chassis and cab of GM TDH-5304 #311 with the passenger section of a Flyer D901.
7. Battery electric bus with onboard propane-fired generator (Mazda 13B) for charging.[56] Tested in 1998; bus later tested by OCTA.[57]
8. Fuel cell bus initially built for SunLine Transit Agency. AC Transit tested the vehicle for one year starting in 2003.

AC Transit is funded with a mix of federal, state, and local government subsidies, as well as passenger fares.

In March 2004, voters throughout the San Francisco Bay Area approved Regional Measure 2, which funds regional transportation capital and operating programs through a US$1.00 surcharge on State-owned bridges operated by the BATA. (The Golden Gate Bridge is owned and operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.)[58]

In November 2004, voters approved Measure BB, which increased the parcel tax from US $24 to US$48 annually for 10 years beginning 1 July 2005, to help fund AC Transit services.[59]

In April 2005, a federal class-action lawsuit was filed against the Metropolitan Transportation Commission alleging that it discriminates against AC Transit's primarily minority riders by giving AC Transit disproportionately less money than BART and Caltrain. AC Transit is not party to the lawsuit, and the court sided with MTC in 2009.[60]

In November 2008, voters approved Measure VV, which increased the parcel tax by US$48 annually for 10 years beginning 1 July 2009, to help fund AC Transit services. Measure VV also extended the US$48 parcel tax approved under Measure BB so a total US$96 annual tax is effective through 30 June 2019.[61]

AC Transit also offers wireless internet on many buses that serve Transbay lines.[62] These buses can be distinguished by their all-green livery, padded "commuter" seats, and Wi-Fi logos near the front entrance door and inside the bus.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to AC Transit.

• Official website
• AC Transit mobile website