Resources for Bay Area commuters

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Thursday, August 2, 2018
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Be prepared when taking public transportation in the Bay Area. Here are some resources to make your commute safer, easier and more comfortable.

SAFETY AND CRIME

In the event that you witness a crime, feel unsafe on a train or in a station, or see something suspicious please use these forms of contact for your chosen transportation agency.

  • Contact BART police:1-877-679-7000
  • For crimes in progress or emergencies call 911
  • Contact the SFMTA: 415-701-2311
  • Contact Caltrain Transit Police at 1-877-SAF-RAIL or 1-877-723-7425
  • For crimes, or incident reports on the Muni system, contact the SFMTA, visit this page.
  • To report crimes on the ACE Transit rail, visit this page for safety and security info.
  • For the CalTrain passenger safety guide, visit this page.
  • To report issues and get alerts about the VTA, here is their safety page.
  • To report suspicious or unlawful activity on San Mateo County transit systems including Redi-Wheels and RediCoast paratransit service, call transit police at 1-877-723-7245.
  • For safety and security on the Capital Corridor system, visit this page.
  • For BART safety tips, visit this page.

To report crimes or issues on BART discreetly and quickly, download the BART Watch App to send a text description of what you see and attach a picture. You can select your location from a list and help assist BART police in their response. Your report can be anonymous.

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT OPTIONS, ROUTE INFO

  • 511.org or call 511 for up-to-the-minute Bay Area traffic, transit, carpool, bicycling, and parking information available 7 days a week.
  • For more resources with detailed transit and transportation options for every region of the Bay Area, visit the TMASF Connects page here.
  • For info on the Altamont Corridor Express, visit this page.
  • To start a carpool or join one, visit this page for more info about SF Casual Carpool.
  • For travel across the Golden Gate Bridge or access to the Golden Gate Ferry, visit this page.
  • San Mateo County transit information can be found here.
  • For travel from Alameda across Contra Costa County, AC Transit offers service to 13 cities.
  • Amtrak Capitol Corridor carries passengers from Auburn to Sacramento, down through Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara counties.
  • Contra Costa County transportation options can be found here.
  • For info on the VTA, which operates bus and light rail systems in Santa Clara Valley, visit this page.
  • For South San Francisco shuttles, or transitions from BART, SF Bay Ferry or CalTrain, visit this page.
  • If you need to take the Ferry, visit this page for routes and information.

Ferry boats service Vallejo, Oakland, Alameda, South San Francisco, and several other stops in San Francisco. A stop for Richmond is also planned for late 2018.

EMPLOYEE, COMMUTER BENEFITS

Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program

Bay Area employers with 50 or more full-time employees with in the Bay Area Air Quality Management District are required to register and offer commuter benefits including:

  • Pre-Tax benefits
  • Employer-provided subsidies
  • Employer-provided transit
  • Alternative commuter benefits

San Francisco Commuter Benefits Ordinance

Under the San Francisco Department of the Environment, the SFCBO requires employers to provide a commuter benefits program that encourages employees to:

  • Bike
  • Rideshare
  • Carpool
  • Take Transit

The goal is to reduce traffic congestion and decrease greenhouse gas emissions by reducing single-occupancy driving trips.

RIDESHARE, TAXI INFO

  • For information on taxis in the Bay Area, all overseen by the SFMTA, visit this page.
  • To use Lyft, a popular rideshare app, or become a Lyft driver, visit this page.
  • To use Uber, another popular rideshare app, or become an Uber driver, visit this page.
  • Homobiles is a nonprofit committed to providing secure, reliable transit to the SF Bay Area's LGBTQ community and its allies. Text 415:574-5023 for a safe ride, or visit this page for more info.

VOICING YOUR CONCERNS

  • #DearBART: Use the hashtag #DearBART to ask questions, share stories, photos, video, and more regarding your experience and concerns with BART.
  • Submit a complaint, comment, or inquiry to BART's official page here.
  • Submit feedback to the SFMTA and Muni here.

Click here for a look at how to Take Action where you live.