AC Transit
AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) is an Oakland-based public transit agency serving the western portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. AC Transit also operates "Transbay" ro ...
is a public transit agency that operates 131 bus lines throughout the
East Bay
The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa countie ...
region of
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. The agency also administers the
Dumbarton Express
Dumbarton Express is a regional public transit service in the San Francisco Bay Area connecting Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties via the Dumbarton Bridge, the system's namesake. The bus service is funded by a consortium of five tra ...
lines, but operation of those lines was transferred to
MV Transportation
MV Transportation, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas., is the largest privately-owned passenger transportation contracting services firm in the United States. The company can provide paratransit, fixed-route, campus and corporate shuttles, and studen ...
on December 19, 2011. AC Transit provides extensive local bus service to 17 cities in
Alameda
An alameda is a Avenue (landscape), street or path lined with trees () and may refer to:
Places Canada
*Alameda, Saskatchewan, town in Saskatchewan
**Grant Devine Dam, formerly ''Alameda Dam'', a dam and reservoir in southern Saskatchewan
Chile
...
and
Contra Costa Counties and the city of
Milpitas
Milpitas (Spanish for "little milpas") is a city in Santa Clara County, California, in Silicon Valley. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 80,273. The city's origins lie in Rancho Milpitas, granted to Californio ranchero José Marí ...
in
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, officially the County of Santa Clara, is the sixth-most populous county in the U.S. state of California, with a population of 1,936,259, as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Santa Clara County and neighboring Sa ...
. Transbay bus service is also provided to
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
and
Palo Alto
Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto.
The city was estab ...
in Santa Clara County.
Route summary
AC Transit bus routes are arranged in seven categories (six numbered, one lettered). Since its inception in 1960, AC Transit has used both numbers and letters to distinguish routes. Many Transbay rail lines were inherited from the
Key System
The Key System (or Key Route) was a privately owned company that provided mass transit in the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Richmond, Albany, and El Cerrito in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area fr ...
and converted to bus routes, and AC Transit continued to use letters to identify the routes. Many Transbay routes continue to follow the original Key System alignments to some degree. The number and letter ranges listed below do not mean that all numbers or letters within a range are in use.
Numbered routes operate within the East Bay:
* 1-99 primarily serve the northwestern part of Contra Costa County and most of Alameda County.
* 200-299 serve the southern part of Alameda County and Milpitas.
* 300-399 serve combined portions of other bus lines, usually only at certain times of day or certain days of the week.
* 600-699 operate primarily on school days only.
* 700-799 are
Early Bird Express lines, which are replacing early-morning BART service during a seismic retrofit of the
Transbay Tube
The Transbay Tube is an underwater rail tunnel that carries Bay Area Rapid Transit's four transbay lines under San Francisco Bay between the cities of San Francisco and Oakland in California. The tube is long, and attaches to twin bored tunnels ...
* 800-899 are part of the
All Nighter network, which provides bus service during owl hours and at times when
BART
Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc.
Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Barthol ...
is not operating.
One- and two-digit route numbers are sometimes used as a "base" number for three-digit route numbers. For example, Route 339 is "based" on Route 39.
Lettered routes (A-Z) provide Transbay service (i.e., service across a bridge) between the East Bay and San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.
Suffixes (also lettered) are used to distinguish variations in route alignments. Currently, A, B, C, L, M, R, S, and X are used. Some suffixes have specific meanings:
* C denotes ''Combined'' service, where portions of two or more routes are combined into a single route. Used on Routes LC and NXC.
* L denotes ''Limited stop'' service, where not all local stops are served. Used on Routes 46L and NL.
* R denotes ''Rapid'' service, which is limited-stop service with some
bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit (BRT), also called a busway or transitway, is a bus-based public transport system designed to have much more capacity, reliability and other quality features than a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT system includes ...
characteristics. Used on Route 72R.
* X denotes ''Express'' service, where portions of the main route are skipped entirely. Used on Routes NX, NX1, NX2, NX3, NX4, NXC, and OX.
Supplemental numerical suffixes are used to differentiate route variations for lines that already use a lettered suffix. This is the case with the NX lines listed above.
''Note: Routes listed below are current as of 19 January 2019. (must be updated for 2020 changes)''
Local service
These routes serve various cities, towns, and attractions in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. One route also serves Milpitas in Santa Clara County. Several routes provide deviations on select trips, where a bus serves a particular business or school that is not on the regular route.
Historically, Route 51 has been considered the busiest bus route in the East Bay, connecting the cities of
Berkeley
Berkeley most often refers to:
*Berkeley, California, a city in the United States
**University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California
* George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher
Berkeley may also refer ...
,
Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
, and
Alameda
An alameda is a Avenue (landscape), street or path lined with trees () and may refer to:
Places Canada
*Alameda, Saskatchewan, town in Saskatchewan
**Grant Devine Dam, formerly ''Alameda Dam'', a dam and reservoir in southern Saskatchewan
Chile
...
. However, this route was split into Routes 51A and 51B in March 2010.
In early 2015, following several rounds of community meetings, AC Transit announced a proposal for a radical rerouting and redesignation of many lines throughout their service area due to extra funds made available by the passage of Measure BB in November 2014. Called AC Go, the program looks at redesigning bus lines throughout the system to reflect the changing traveling habits of its residents by providing more frequent service on its busiest lines while rerouting others to better serve adjoining communities.
Notes:
* Route 73 runs at
all times despite not officially being a part of the
All Nighter network.
* Route 275 was deleted on March 26, 2017 and was replaced by a one-year trial of the Newark FLEX (see below).
Rapid service
''For an explanation of bus rapid transit, click
here
Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to:
Software
* Here Technologies, a mapping company
* Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here
Television
* Here TV (formerly "here!"), a TV ...
.''
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
is the branded bus rapid transit service operated by AC Transit. There is one additional Rapid route.
These routes provide the following amenities and features:
* Frequent service
* Stop spacing every
* Passenger shelters with Tempo or Rapid branding
* Transit Signal Priority (TSP) so buses spend less time waiting at traffic signals
Broadway Shuttle
The Broadway Shuttle, also known as The Free B, is a free shuttle service operating along Broadway in downtown Oakland as part of the Meet Downtown Oakland program. Service is operated by AC Transit under contract with the City of
Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
. Funding is provided by the City of Oakland, Alameda County Transportation Commission, and
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is a public agency that regulates the stationary sources of air pollution in the nine counties of California's San Francisco Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San ...
with additional sponsorships from Jack London Square, Jack London Improvement District, Downtown Oakland Association, and Lake Merritt-Uptown District Association.
The Broadway Shuttle began in August 2010 and was expanded twice, first in July 2011 and again in December 2014. Late-night Friday and all Saturday service was discontinued in August 2017. The B operates two routes:
Special service
Several special service routes, numbered between 300 and 399, cater to various purposes:
* Routes 314 and 356 provide midday shopper service, connecting residential neighborhoods and senior homes with shopping centers and major attractions.
* Other routes combine popular segments of two or more regular routes and operate evenings and/or weekends when ridership is insufficient to support the regular routes.
FLEX service
In 2016, AC Transit started operating two FLEX services that provide on-demand van service to riders in Castro Valley and Newark. These services require passengers to book their trips online, using a smartphone app, or by telephone (up to three months in advance), and vans arrive within 30 minutes after the reservation is made. Customers boarding at a BART station do not need to reserve a trip and can just tell the operator their final destination. Fares are identical to the local fares, and Clipper cards are accepted. These services operate Mondays to Fridays from 6am to 8pm (except holidays).
Early Bird Express
On February 11, 2019, the beginning of
BART
Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc.
Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Barthol ...
service on weekdays was changed from 4:00 am to 5:00 am for a three-year period to allow for overnight seismic retrofit work in the
Transbay Tube
The Transbay Tube is an underwater rail tunnel that carries Bay Area Rapid Transit's four transbay lines under San Francisco Bay between the cities of San Francisco and Oakland in California. The tube is long, and attaches to twin bored tunnels ...
. Thirteen
Early Bird Express routes, of which six are operated by AC Transit, were created to provide service between 3:50 am and 5:30 am. The AC Transit-run routes provide Transbay service to the
Temporary Transbay Terminal
The San Francisco Transbay Terminal was a transportation complex in San Francisco, California, United States, roughly in the center of the rectangle bounded north–south by Mission Street and Howard Street, and east–west by Beale Street and 2 ...
.
Transbay service
These routes cross San Francisco Bay and connect the East Bay with San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. All routes except Route 800 are lettered. (Route 800 is part of the All Nighter network and is listed in its respective section.) Most Transbay routes operate weekdays only during commute periods; two routes operate throughout the day on weekdays only and three routes operate daily. Most commute-only routes operate westbound from the East Bay in the morning and eastbound to the East Bay in the afternoon, but some service is provided in the
reverse commute
A reverse commute is a round trip, regularly taken, from an urban area to a suburban one in the morning, and returning in the evening. It is almost universally applied to trips to work in the suburbs from homes in the city. This is in opposition to ...
direction.
Serving San Francisco
All bus routes serving San Francisco cross the
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge, is a complex of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay in California. As part of Interstate 80 in California, Interstate 80 and the direct road between San Francisco and Oakland ...
and terminate at the
Salesforce Transit Center
The Transbay Transit Center (officially the Salesforce Transit Center for sponsorship purposes) is a transit station in downtown San Francisco. It serves as the primary bus terminal — and potentially as a future rail terminal — for the San ...
(at the third floor).
Service via the San Mateo Bridge
One route operates between the East Bay and San Mateo County via the
San Mateo Bridge.
Service via the Dumbarton Bridge
AC Transit operates one route between the East Bay and Santa Clara County via the
Dumbarton Bridge. Additional bus service across the Dumbarton Bridge is provided by
Dumbarton Express
Dumbarton Express is a regional public transit service in the San Francisco Bay Area connecting Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties via the Dumbarton Bridge, the system's namesake. The bus service is funded by a consortium of five tra ...
, which is a Transbay bus service provided under a consortium of five transit operators (AC Transit, BART,
SamTrans
SamTrans (stylized as samTrans; officially the San Mateo County Transit District) is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into porti ...
,
Union City Transit, and
VTA). Dumbarton Express was operated by AC Transit through December 16, 2011 before being transferred to a contractor.
School service
A series of routes serve a variety of public and private middle, junior high, and high schools in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. These routes generally operate only when school is in session. While these lines are open to all riders at regular fares, they do not operate during most school breaks and holidays. Some regular local bus routes also provide supplemental school service to nearby schools. These routes are usually timed to match the morning and afternoon bell schedules of all schools served.
There are 46 school routes numbered between 600 and 699: 604, 605, 606, 607, 611, 617, 620, 621, 623, 624, 625, 626, 628, 629, 631, 638, 642, 646, 648, 649, 650, 652, 653, 654, 655, 657, 658, 660, 662, 663, 667, 668, 669, 671, 672, 675, 676, 677, 679, 680, 681, 682, 684, 687, 688, and 696.
All Nighter service
Several transit agencies in the Bay Area, including AC Transit, participate in the
All Nighter program. All Nighter buses provide overnight bus service when
BART
Bart is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Bartholomew, sometimes of Barton, Bartolomeo, etc.
Bart is a Dutch and Ashkenazi Jewish surname, and derives from the name ''Bartholomäus'', a German form of the biblical name ''Barthol ...
and
Caltrain
Caltrain (reporting mark JPBX) is a California commuter rail line serving the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley (Silicon Valley). The southern terminus is in San Jose at Tamien station with weekday rush hour service running as far ...
are not operating. AC Transit Route 800 is the backbone of this network, serving eleven or thirteen BART and four
Muni Metro
Muni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, United States. Operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), a part of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), Muni Metro served an average of 157 ...
stations en route.
All AC Transit All Nighter routes provide timed transfers at Broadway and 14th Street in downtown Oakland. Most routes operate daily including holidays, generally from midnight to 5:00 AM. Weekend morning service on Routes 800 and 801 extends until 6 AM on Saturdays and 8 AM on Sundays, corresponding to the start of BART service for the day.
AC Transit All-Nighter routes
/ref>
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Ac Transit Routes
Bus transportation in California
AC
AC
Public transportation in Alameda County, California
Public transportation in Contra Costa County, California
Public transportation in San Francisco
Public transportation in San Mateo County, California
Public transportation in Santa Clara County, California
AC
AC
Transit agencies in California
Transportation in Oakland, California