County Connection
| File:County Connection hdr.png | |
| File:County connection gillig lowfloor.png Bus 404 on then-Route 126 at BART Orinda | |
| Founded | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 2477 Arnold Industrial Way, Concord, CA |
| Locale | East Bay |
| Service area | Central Contra Costa County |
| Service type | bus service ADA paratransit |
| Routes | 29 local 7 express 25 select service 1 local shuttle |
| Stops | 1,000+ |
| Fleet | 122 heavy-duty transit buses 48 paratransit vans |
| Daily ridership | 11,627 weekday boardings[1] |
| Fuel type | ULSD |
| Operator | Central Contra Costa Transit Authority |
| Chief executive | Rick Ramacier |
| Website | cccta.org |
The County Connection (officially, the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, CCCTA) is a Concord-based public transit agency operating fixed-route bus and ADA paratransit (County Connection LINK) service in and around central Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area. Established in 1980 as a joint powers authority, CCCTA assumed control of public bus service within central Contra Costa first begun by Oakland-based AC Transit as it expanded into suburban Contra Costa County in the mid-1970s (especially after the opening of BART).
History
In March 1980, the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority was created by a joint powers agreement between the cities of Clayton, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, the town of Moraga, and the County of Contra Costa. Upon their incorporation, the town of Danville and the city of San Ramon also joined CCCTA. CCCTA is governed by a board of directors, with a representative appointed from each of its member cities and the county. Day-to-day operations are overseen by the General Manager.
On 1 July 1980, CCCTA began operating service with its first route serving Walnut Creek.[2] The changeover from AC Transit to County Connection was somewhat gradual, with County Connection assuming the remainder of the service by 1982.[3]
Service area
Within its service area of over 200 square miles (520 km2), the County Connection provides service to the communities of:
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Fixed-route service
As of June 2010, the County Connection operates 30 weekday routes (three of which also operate on weekends), seven weekend-only routes, and 25 select service routes within central Contra Costa County.[4] All routes, with the exception of some of the 600-numbered series select service trips, connect with regional train service, primarily BART, in addition to ACE in Pleasanton and Amtrak, including Amtrak California's Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin services in Martinez. Among its 30 weekday routes, the County Connection operates seven express routes (Routes 91X—98X). With support from the city of Walnut Creek, the County Connection also operates a free downtown circulator with trolley livery (Route 4) with service between Walnut Creek and Broadway Plaza.
Major points of interest in the area served by the County Connection include:
- Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill
- Diablo Valley College, San Ramon Valley Campus, in San Ramon Route 35
- Cal State East Bay in Concord Route 93X and 260
- Sunvalley Mall in Concord Routes 9, 18,19, 20, 98X, 314, and 316
- Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek Route 4
- Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga Routes 6 and 250
- Bishop Ranch Business Park in San Ramon Routes 21, 35, 36, 95X, 96X, 97X, and 321
Route overview
Weekdays
Weekday service is provided on all routes except 300-numbered series routes, which operate only on weekends. 600-numbered series routes are select service trips convenient to area schools and operate on school days with service timed to school bell times.[4]
| Route | Direction | Terminals | ACE, Amtrak, or BART Connection at | Schedule Information | Notes/Weekend Route | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North/East Terminal | South/West Terminal | |||||
| 1 | North-South | Mitchell Dr Park & Ride | Rossmoor | Walnut Creek | Route 1 Schedule | Ride 301 on Weekends |
| 1M | East-West | BART Walnut Creek | John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek | Walnut Creek | Route 1M Schedule | |
| 2 | North-South | BART Walnut Creek | Trotter Way & Bridle Ln | Walnut Creek | Route 2 Schedule | |
| 3 | North-South | Martinez (Amtrak Station) | Center & Kaiser | Martinez Amtrak | Route 3 Schedule | |
| 4 The Free Ride |
North-South | BART Walnut Creek | Broadway Plaza | Walnut Creek | Route 4 Schedule | Free, daily service between BART Walnut Creek and Broadway Plaza via downtown |
| 5 | North-South | BART Walnut Creek | Creekside Dr | Walnut Creek | Route 5 Schedule | |
| 6 | East-West | BART Lafayette | BART Orinda | Lafayette, Orinda | Route 6 Schedule | Also operates on weekends Operates 3 trips per day to Orinda Village and Community Center |
| 7 | Loop | BART Walnut Creek - BART Pleasant Hill | Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek | Route 7 Schedule | Operates during AM and PM peak periods only, with clockwise and counter-clockwise loops | |
| 9 | North-South | Diablo Valley College | BART Walnut Creek | Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek | Route 9 Schedule | Also serves JFK University |
| 10 | East-West | Clayton - Clayton Library 6 AM—8PM Clayton Rd & Kirker Pass Rd Before 6 AM and after 8 PM |
BART Concord | Concord | Route 10 Schedule | Service via Clayton Rd Ride 310 on Weekends |
| 11 | East-West | BART Concord | BART Pleasant Hill | Concord, Pleasant Hill | Route 11 Schedule | Service via Meadow Ln and Oak Grove Rd (north of Treat Blvd) Ride 311 on Weekends |
| 14 | North-South | BART Concord | BART Pleasant Hill | Concord, Pleasant Hill | Route 14 Schedule | Service via Monument Blvd Ride 314 on Weekends |
| 15 | East-West | BART Concord | BART Walnut Creek | Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek | Route 15 Schedule | Service via Treat Blvd Ride 311 and 315 on Weekends |
| 16 | North-South | Amtrak Martinez 5:40 AM—8:40 PM Crescent Plaza & Crescent Dr Before 5:40 AM and after 8:40 PM |
BART Concord | Martinez (Amtrak), Concord | Route 16 Schedule | Service via Alhambra Ave, Crescent Plaza - Downtown Pleasant Hill, and Monument Blvd Ride 314 and 316 on Weekends |
| 17 | North-South | BART North Concord | BART Concord | North Concord, Concord | Route 17 Schedule | |
| 18 | North-South | Amtrak Martinez | BART Pleasant Hill | Martinez (Amtrak), Pleasant Hill | Route 18 Schedule | Also serves Diablo Valley College Ride 316 on Weekends |
| 19 | North-South | Amtrak Martinez | BART Concord | Martinez (Amtrak), Concord | Route 19 Schedule | Ride 316 on Weekends |
| 20 | East-West | BART Concord | Diablo Valley College | Concord | Route 20 Schedule | Also serves Sunvalley Mall Ride 314 and 320 on Weekends |
| 21 | North-South | BART Walnut Creek | San Ramon Transit Center | Walnut Creek | Route 21 Schedule | Service via Danville Blvd Ride 321 on Weekends |
| 25 | East-West | BART Walnut Creek | BART Lafayette | Walnut Creek, Lafayette | Route 25 Schedule | |
| 28 | East-West | BART North Concord | Amtrak Martinez | Martinez (Amtrak), North Concord | Route 28 Schedule | Also serves Diablo Valley College |
| 35 | North-South | San Ramon Transit Center | BART Dublin/Pleasanton | Dublin/Pleasanton | Route 35 Schedule | Service via Windemere Pkwy and East Branch Pkwy only during midday from 10:30 AM to 3:45 PM |
| 36 | North-South | San Ramon Transit Center | BART Dublin/Pleasanton | Dublin/Pleasanton | Route 36 Schedule | |
| 91X Concord Commuter Express |
Loop | BART Concord - Airport Plaza | Concord | Route 91X Schedule | Operates during AM and PM peak periods only | |
| 92X ACE Express |
North-South | Mitchell Dr Park & Ride | ACE Pleasanton | Pleasanton (ACE) | Route 92X Schedule | Operates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves Danville Park & Ride and San Ramon Transit Center |
| 93X Kirker Pass Express |
East-West | BART Walnut Creek AM terminal |
Hillcrest (Antioch) Park & Ride PM terminal |
Walnut Creek | Route 93X Schedule | Operates westbound AM only, eastbound PM only (mornings to Walnut Creek, afternoons to Hillcrest Park & Ride) |
| 95X San Ramon Express |
North-South | BART Walnut Creek | San Ramon Transit Center | Walnut Creek | Route 95X Schedule | Operates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves Danville Park & Ride |
| 96X Bishop Ranch Express, North |
Loop | BART Walnut Creek - Bishop Ranch | Walnut Creek | Route 96X Schedule | Operates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves San Ramon Transit Center | |
| 97X Bishop Ranch Express, South |
Loop | BART Dublin/Pleasanton - Bishop Ranch | Dublin/Pleasanton | Route 97X Schedule | Operates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves San Ramon Transit Center | |
| 98X Martinez/Walnut Creek Express |
North-South | Amtrak Martinez | BART Walnut Creek | Martinez (Amtrak), Walnut Creek | Route 98X Schedule | Route also serves Contra Costa Blvd & Viking Dr - Sunvalley Mall |
| 250 Gael Rail Shuttle |
North-South | BART Lafayette | Saint Mary's College | Lafayette | Route 250 Schedule | Operates late night trips only Thursday—Sunday |
| 260 Cal State East Bay Shuttle |
Loop | BART Concord - Cal State East Bay | Concord | Route 260 Schedule | Operates PM trips only Monday—Thursday | |
| Alamo Creek Shuttle | North-South | BART Walnut Creek | Alamo Creek | Walnut Creek | Alamo Creek Shuttle Schedule | Operates northbound AM only, southbound PM only (mornings to Walnut Creek, afternoons to Alamo Creek) |
Weekends
Service is provided on the following 11 routes:
| Route | Direction | Terminals | ACE, Amtrak, or BART Connection at | Schedule Information | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North/East Terminal | South/West Terminal | |||||
| 4 The Free Ride |
North-South | BART Walnut Creek | Broadway Plaza | Walnut Creek | Route 4 Schedule | Free, daily service between BART Walnut Creek and Broadway Plaza via downtown |
| 6 | East-West | BART Lafayette | BART Orinda | Lafayette, Orinda | Route 6 Schedule | Also operates on weekdays |
| 250 Gael Rail Shuttle |
North-South | BART Lafayette | Saint Mary's College | Lafayette | Route 250 Schedule | Operates PM trips only Thursday—Sunday |
| 301 | North-South | John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus | Rossmoor | Walnut Creek | Route 301 Schedule | |
| 310 | East-West | Clayton Rd & Kirker Pass Road | Concord Bart | Concord | Route 310 Schedule | |
| 311 | East-West | BART Concord | BART Walnut Creek | Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek | Route 311 Schedule | |
| 314 | East-West | Concord BART | Diablo Valley College | Concord | Route 314 Schedule | Service via Contra Costa Blvd, Monument Blvd, and Clayton Rd |
| 315 | East-West | Clayton Rd & Bel Air Dr | BART Concord | Concord | Route 315 Schedule | |
| 316 | North-South | Alhambra Ave & Walnut Ave | BART Pleasant Hill | Martinez (Amtrak), Pleasant Hill | Route 316 Schedule | Also serves Diablo Valley College |
| 320 | East-West | BART Concord | Diablo Valley College | Concord | Route 320 Schedule | Service via Diamond Blvd |
| 321 | North-South | BART Walnut Creek | Sunset Dr & Bishop Dr | Walnut Creek | Route 321 Schedule | Also serves San Ramon Transit Center |
Holidays
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Regular service is provided on:
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The County Connection does not operate on the following days:
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Fixed-route fares
Fares are effective 22 March 2009[5]
Cash
| Route | Adult (18-64)/Youth (6-17)† | Senior (65+)/Disabled ‡ |
|---|---|---|
| Local | US$2.00 | US$1.00 |
| Express | US$2.25 | US$1.00 |
| Route 4 The Free Ride | Free | Free |
Transfer
| Type | Adult (18–64)/Youth (6-17)† | Senior (65+)/Disabled ‡ |
|---|---|---|
| Bus-to-Bus₮ | Free | Free |
| BART-to-Bus*₮ | US$1.00 | US$0.50 |
| BART-to-Bus (Express) | US$1.25 |
- † Children five years of age and under may ride free, but may ride only when accompanied by an adult.
- ‡ Proper identification must be presented to obtain the reduced Senior/Disabled fare.
- ₮ In order to facilitate passenger connections between County Connection buses, transfer slips are issued upon request at the time the proper fare is paid. Transfers are good for up to two uses (only one use if boarding with a BART-to-Bus transfer) and are valid for two hours on weekdays and three hours on weekends (until the time shown at the top of the transfer).
- BART-Bus Transfers do not require an additional fare. It is $1, and transfers are available at machines inside connecting BART stations.
Passes and Punch Cards
County Connection offers for sale a monthly pass or several types of punch card which provide a discount over cash fare:
- Monthly Pass (East Bay Value Pass) for US$60.00, valid on all County Connection, Wheels, Tri Delta Transit and WestCAT fixed-route buses
- 12-Ride Punch Card for US$20.00 (valid on Local and Express routes)
- Commuter Punch Card for US$40.00, with 20 Local or Express fares and 20 BART-to-Bus transfer fares
- Senior/Disabled 20-Ride Punch Card for US$15.00 (valid on Local and Express routes)
Connecting transportation
- ACE at the Pleasanton station in Alameda County
- Amtrak at the Martinez station in Contra Costa County
- BART at the Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord and North Concord/Martinez stations in Contra Costa County, and at the Dublin/Pleasanton station in Alameda County
- Fairfield and Suisun Transit (FAST) Route 40 at BART Pleasant Hill and BART Walnut Creek
- Tri-Delta Transit Delta Express at BART Dublin/Pleasanton,Route 201 at Concord BART and in Martinez at Amtrak Martinez and at shared stops along Alhambra Ave and Route 200 in Martinez at Amtrak Martinez, at shared stops along Alhambra Ave, and at the VA Martinez Outpatient Clinic
- SolTrans Route 78 at BART Pleasant Hill and BART Walnut Creek and Route 76 at Diablo Valley College.
- WestCAT Route 30Z in Martinez at Amtrak Martinez, at shared stops along Alhambra Ave, and at the VA Martinez Outpatient Clinic
- WHEELS routes at BART Dublin/Pleasanton, BART Pleasant Hill, and BART Walnut Creek; at shared stops in San Ramon along Alcosta Blvd; in Dublin along Village Pkwy, Dublin Blvd, and Dougherty Rd; and at ACE Pleasanton Station
The local transportation demand management organization 511 Contra Costa also provides information for intermodal transfers throughout the county, and works closely with County Connection to improve regional transit.
Fixed-route fleet
The current fixed-route fleet consists of 122 wheelchair-accessible buses manufactured by Gillig. Each bus is accessible by a ramp, and has space for two wheelchairs. Buses feature Clever Devices GPS-based automatic voice annunciation (AVA) and visual next-stop announcements. Each bus has the capacity for two bicycles on a front bumper-mounted rack, with an additional two bicycles permitted aboard at the bus operator's discretion.
| Fleet # | Length (feet) | Floor height | Wheelchair-accessible via | Make | Model | Year | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300-314 | 29 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor | 2003 | ULSD |
| 400-412 | 35 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor | 2003 | ULSD |
| 900-908 | 40 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor BRT | 2009 | Diesel-electric hybrid |
| 909-939 | 40 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor BRT | 2009, 2010 | ULSD |
| 1300-1309 | 40 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor BRT | 2013 | ULSD |
| 1400-1406 | 29 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor | 2014 | ULSD |
| 1500-1532 | 40 | Low-floor | Fold-out ramp | Gillig | Low Floor BRT | 2015-2016 | ULSD |
| 1600-1603 | 29 | Low floor | Fold out ramp | Gillig | Trolley Bus | 2016 | Electric |
Amigos de Viajar
In 2006, the County Connection partnered with Moore & Associates, Inc., a public transit marketing firm, to develop and produce a targeted Spanish language outreach program. This resulted in the transit agency's Amigos de Viajar program.[6] The program was created to provide one-on-one instructional outreach to Spanish-speaking persons within Concord's Monument Corridor community. As a result, 12 volunteers were trained in how to provide fellow community members with trip planning assistance. The volunteers, identified by their high-visibility yellow vests, can be seen at area bus stops, transit centers, and aboard the County Connection's buses. Developed in support of the program, Moore & Associates scripted and produced a nine-minute film outlining the public transportation options in Contra Costa County, benefits of utilizing public transportation, detailed illustrations on how to ride transit, and options with connecting transit systems - including BART and AC Transit, among others. The film was printed to DVD and distributed to organizations throughout the Monument community and greater Concord.
References
- ^ CCCTA - Operating & Scheduling Committee: Fixed-Route Operating Report for May 2010
- ^ CalAct - "The County Connection Central: Contra Costa County's Ride 1980-2001"
- ^ Darlene Bonanno v. Central Contra Costa Transit Authority
- ^ a b CCCTA - Maps & Schedules Archived 2009-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ CCCTA - Fares
- ^ "County Connection Graduates Class of 12 'Amigos de Viajar'"