14 Bay Area public transit leaders go on ride-along to get firsthand experience with transfers
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Public transit leaders from across the Bay Area spent Friday riding buses and trains through multiple systems, an effort aimed at highlighting regional transit connections and encouraging greater public use.
"Part of this is normalizing what transit looks like," said Alicia Trost, BART's chief communications officer.
Fourteen public transit executives traveled from Oakland to Millbrae, taking AC Transit, BART, Muni and Caltrain along the way.
Trost said the event was designed to give transit leaders firsthand experience with transfers.
"Why not make them come ride their own system, transfer from one to the other, see how coordinated they are, and then meet real folks," she said.
The ride came after four consecutive days of BART delays earlier in the week caused by equipment issues.
MORE: This Bay Area commute ranked California's most frustrating, new survey finds
BART board members said Thursday that the agency is working through multiple challenges at once.
"We're working on the larger issue of fixing the system, some of which is in our control and some of it is not due to funding reasons, what is in out control is a robust communications plan when something big like this happens," a board member said.
Transit leaders pointed to recent efforts to improve coordination among agencies. They said transfers have become easier and less expensive in recent years, and that the ongoing rollout of the new Clipper system has reduced the cost of the Oakland-to-Millbrae trip by half.
"Riders are coming back in droves. I know at Caltrain, we've been growing in the double digits ever since we electrified," said Caltrain Executive Director Michelle Bouchard.
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The event also attracted transit enthusiasts and professionals from outside the Bay Area.
Participants came from as close as San Francisco and as far as Maryland to learn more about regional transit systems.
"The Thomas the Tank Engine never really wore off," said AJ Joseph of Maryland. Joseph, who works in transit on the East Coast, said he was surprised by the turnout.
"Coming from the other side of the country, it's really cool to see the support," he said.
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Transit officials said public support will be critical as agencies seek funding through upcoming sales tax ballot measures.
"They'd be laying off over a thousand employees, closing up to 15 stations, going to 30 minute frequencies, closing at 9 p.m. if we don't get new funding," Trost said.
Some riders, however, said additional improvements are needed to attract more passengers.
"In order for people to take public transit seriously as an option, it really needs to be, competitive with the amount of time it takes to drive places," said Calvin Chen of San Francisco.
