WHEELS Prepares for BART Strike

In the event of a labor strike by BART union employees, the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority, operator of the Wheels bus system, will run its regular service in the Tri-Valley along with a newly added direct service from the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station to the Eastmont Transit Center in Oakland.

This special service is offered free of charge to all Wheels riders as a courtesy in getting our riders to easily accessible con­nections with AC Transit for connections to Oakland, Emeryville and Fremont. Visit actransit.org for routes and schedules.

The special service will operate seven days a week through the course of the BART strike. Wheels will provide two-way travel to and from E. Dublin / Pleasanton BART to Eastmont Transit Center. Buses will depart approximately every 15 – 20 minutes. Due to unknown traffic conditions during the strike, departure/arrival times may be affected. Please plan ahead and provide extra lead time to get to and from your destination.

Morning schedule*
Departure from the E. Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station to the Eastmont Transit Center will operate from 5:00 a.m. to 6:45 a.m. daily.

Evening schedule*
Departure from the Eastmont Transit Center will operate from 3:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. daily.

* service is based on operator and vehicle availability.

All Wheels buses serving the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station will be relocated to temporary bus zone areas to enable riders to meet other connections and Wheels buses. There will be two staging areas for Wheels buses; along Owens Dr, east of Willow Rd and Willow Rd, south of Owens Dr. Other regional services such as BART shuttles, County Connection, Modesto Area Express (Max), Tri-Delta Transit, San Joaquin RTD and Amtrak will also be staged within this vicinity.  See page 4 for a map of the Wheels temporary bus stops.

BART and Wheels bus route 3 will not be servicing the West Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. Wheels riders will still be able to connect to the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station on this route should the rider need to connect with BART’s shuttle to San Francisco or to Wheels special service to the Eastmont Transit Center.

Wheels bus route 70x, 70xv to Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill will continue its regular service. See pages 5 and 6 for a map from County Connection for Wheels temporary connection bus stops.

Here’s how to find the Wheels bus that serves your neighborhood or workplace:

• Pick up a Wheels Rider’s Guide at any Tri-Valley public library.  Use the Wheels system map located on the center page to find your origin and destination. When you know the bus you want, find the schedule and route map to determine the nearest bus stop to your home.
• If you need trip planning assistance call Wheels at (925) 455-7500 Monday - Friday 5:00 AM – 6:45 PM (closed Saturday and Sunday).

BUS STOP CLOSURE
To better serve the temporary bus stops, a number of bus stops will be closed to enable the flow of buses into the staging area south of the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station.

• Dublin Blvd between Dougherty Rd and Hacienda Dr
• West of Dougherty Rd on Dublin Blvd

BART Bus Bridge to SAN FRANCISCO
Should a strike occur, BART has contracted with a private coach operator to operate service from the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station to San Francisco on Howard Street, between Fremont and Beale Streets, with no stop in Oakland during the morning commute. BART shuttles will operate Monday – Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m during the morning commute and 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. during the afternoon commute. The afternoon commute will transfer at West Oakland from San Francisco.

On Saturday, BART will run limited service from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to San Francisco. On Sunday, BART will run limited service from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Return service for both Saturday and Sunday will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

BART’s shuttle service will be provided free of charge. Parking will be free at all BART stations and reservations will not be accepted for long term parking. Permit holders will be refunded if there is a service disruption

Plan your ride early

Parking at or near the BART station may be at premium during the strike. While some displaced BART riders may get in their cars, commuters are encouraged to ride Wheels, form a carpool, use flex time, telecommute if possible, and use other creative means of travelling, like carpooling, as an alternative to driving alone. Ridesharing information is available at www.511.org.

For updated BART information, visit their website at www.bart.org.

WHEELS FARE INFORMATION
Adult/Student (ages 6-64)                                           $2.00
Special Service to Eastmont Transit Center              FREE
Youth (ages 6-18)                                                       $2.00
Seniors (ages 65+)                                                     $1.00
Disabled Citizens with a valid RTC Card*                  $1.00
*Be prepared to show proof of eligibility for the discounted fare