Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District 1600 Franklin St. 7th Fl. Oakland, CA 94612
DATE: November 13, 2023
TO: City of Oakland, Office of the City Administrator
FROM: AC Transit, Legislative Affairs and Community Relations Department RE: AC Transit Update on Its Realign Bus Network Project
Background
Alameda Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) is the largest public bus -only transit in California.
The AC Transit Realign planning effort combines a comprehensive review of existing bus service, robust public and stakeholder engagement, and market research and analysis to craft a new service network that responds to the changing travel needs of the communities we serve. The draft map scenarios for the City of Oakland will be presented to the City Council and greater Oakland community at the December 5, 2023, City Council meeting. These scenarios were developed based on the following AC Transit Board- approved Guiding Principles of equity, reliability and frequency.
In the first half of this year, AC Transit staff worked on a market analysis, a service assessment, and conducted outreach throughout the East Bay to help understand rider and community transit needs.
Through a community survey, community members were asked to share their thoughts, in which they received more than 15,000 valid responses from across the East Bay.
Realign is now in Phase 3, where AC Transit is presenting draft service plan proposals, each shaped by an analysis of existing conditions and community input concerning crucial travel needs that seek to advance community mobility. This phase is an early opportunity to weigh in on preliminary draft map proposals through December 13, 2023, to help inform the development of a single, preferred service plan that will be presented in early 2024 for public comment and AC Transit Board approval with the goal of implementation in August 2024.
Current Status
This an informational presentation seeking feedback and comments from bus riders and the greater Oakland community. Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) representatives will be presenting an update on its Realign project, to present bus service plan proposals to seek feedback. The focus will be sharing proposals and seeking feedback on its core service, which they are aiming to update in the near-term based on existing resources (funding and driver availability), while also seeking feedback on what they are calling an unconstrained vision plan. The Unconstrained Vision plan is a long-term plan that will help serve as a roadmap or menu for opportunities to build out bus service as resources become available to enhance mobility. The Realign plan does not specifically address supplementary or bus service to schools in the near-term, cost-neutral plans; however, it will be reviewed and can be addressed as part of the Unconstrained Vision plan.