The California Special Districts Association released its most recent video highlighting services provided by special districts to communities throughout the state. The video profiles the 60-year legacy of the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District and how we are introducing transportation-of-tomorrow to today’s riders.
Serving 13 cities and several unincorporated communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, AC Transit operates 155 bus lines, carrying more than 180,000 daily riders. In 2017, AC Transit transported over 52 million passengers in more than 19 million trips.
AC Transit is also an operations vanguard having recently launched AC Transit Flex. Flex is a dynamic reservation based transit service that eliminates the wait and wonder of when the bus will arrive. Now, with the click of a mouse or telephone call, riders can schedule their ride and choose their pick-up and drop-off locations.
The video also features the progress of the East Bay’s first-ever Bus Rapid Transit. Often dubbed “light-rail on wheels,” AC Transit’s BRT will operate inside an all-new bus-only transit lane along historic International Boulevard and East 14th Street. This inventive transit system features 12 curbside stations and another 21 center median stations that mirror the design of train platforms for faster all door boarding. Those living and doing business along BRT’s 9.5-mile corridor are already enjoying some of the benefits of early construction including new ADA Ramps, traffic signals, and lighting throughout the corridor. Several streets are newly paved and ultimately, 285 new trees will adorn the BRT corridor.
CSDA Chief Executive Officer Neil McCormick said, “AC Transit is an example of how special districts combine local governance, local resources, and focused service to provide communities with efficient, effective, and sustainable services and infrastructure.”
AC Transit General Manager Michael Hursh stated, “We’re doing this by operating the largest fleet of continuously operating zero emission buses in the world. The operation has been so successful, the Fuel Cell Electric Bus Commercialization Consortium (FCEBCC) awarded our District a grant to purchase ten new fuel cell buses and we have ordered five new battery electric buses. In just months, we will be the first transit agency to run hydrogen and battery electric buses side-by-side for a comprehensive study.”
The new video also highlights the close relationship AC Transit has developed with the communities we serve. Since 2012, AC Transit has trained over 1,200 operators, many of whom live in the East Bay. AC Transit also developed an Accessibility Advisory Committee to ensure all members of the community have access to their services.
As a special district serving multiple cities and counties, AC Transit fosters a close working relationship with the other local governments of the East Bay. In the video, Jennifer Ott, director of transportation for the city of Alameda, explains, “AC Transit is our main transit provider and we have very high ridership… We work very closely with AC Transit to try to find creative ways to leverage as many resources as we can and create better transit for our whole community.”
