2021 Service Plan – County Connection

2021 Service Plan

Last updated: 12/11/2020

Due to COVID-19, many transit agencies throughout the Bay Area face varying degrees of financial uncertainty and must evaluate cost-cutting measures in order to remain financially viable. These are tough decisions and we want your input.

County Connection will conduct virtual meetings in the coming months to inform the public of potential service cuts. The first meeting will provide a general overview of the impact COVID-19 has had on funding levels, the current service profile and three scenarios for potential service reductions. This meeting is scheduled via Zoom on December 1st at 5pm. Subsequent public hearings are scheduled in January.

Please check this webpage on a regular basis to stay informed.

Service Proposals

Three service reduction scenarios have been developed with incremental service cuts that would result in cost reductions of $3, $5, and $7 million annually. The selection of the scenario will depend on future financial projections.

ScenarioFrequency ReductionsElimination of RoutesAlignment ChangesReduction in HoursReduction in Annual Costs
Scenario 1
(changes from pre-COVID service)		4, 5, 6, 7, 27, 35, 92X, 95X, 96X–6, 28, 92X13%$3M
Scenario 2
(changes in addition to Scenario 1)		15, 17, 93X, 98X, 99X91X, 97X, 31515, 3520%$5M
Scenario 3
(changes in addition to Scenarios 1 & 2)		10, 2092X, 93X, 95X, 96X–28%$7M
How to Comment

Scenario Details

Continue current service levels (as of October 4, 2020)
13% reduction in service hours
$3 million reduction in annual operating costs
Compared to pre-COVID service
Frequency Reductions
Route Pre-COVID
(peak/off-peak)		 Scenario 1
(peak/off-peak)
412 min20 min
520/45 min40 min
620/60 min30/60 min
715/- min20/- min
2740/60 min3 trips
3515-20/30-60 min30/60 min
92X8 trips4 trips
95X20/- min30/- min
96X20/60 min30/- min
Alignment Changes
  • Route 6 – eliminate Orinda Community Center loop
  • Route 28 – extend to Concord BART, reroute from Arnold/Center to Muir Rd
  • Route 92X – simplify routing through Bishop Ranch to remove stops at BR15 and Bishop/Sunset

Additional frequency reductions and elimination of low-ridership routes and route segments
20% reduction in service hours
$5 million reduction in annual operating costs
Compared to pre-COVID service
Frequency Reductions
(In addition to Scenario 1 changes)
Route Pre-COVID
(peak/off-peak)		 Scenario 2
(peak/off-peak)
412 min20 min
520/45 min40 min
620/60 min30/90 min
715/- min20/- min
1560 min90 min
1730/60 min60 min
2740/60 min3 trips
3515-20/30-60 min30/60 min
92X8 trips4 trips
93X13 trips11 trips
95X20/- min30/- min
96X20/60 min30/- min
98X30/60 min45/90 min
99X15-45/- min40/- min
Eliminate Routes
  • Route 91X
  • Route 97X
  • Route 315
Alignment Changes
(In addition to Scenario 1 changes)
  • Route 6 – eliminate Orinda Community Center loop
  • Route 15 – eliminate John Muir Hospital loop
  • Route 28 – extend to Concord BART, reroute from Arnold/Center to Muir Rd
  • Route 35 – eliminate Crow Canyon loop
    (New change since December webinar)
  • Route 92X – simplify routing through Bishop Ranch to remove stops at BR15 and Bishop/Sunset

Additional frequency reductions and elimination of express service to Bishop Ranch
28% reduction in service hours
$7 million reduction in annual operating costs
Compared to pre-COVID service
Frequency Reductions
(In addition to Scenario 1 & 2 changes)
Route Pre-COVID
(peak/off-peak)		 Scenario 3
(peak/off-peak)
412 min20 min
520/45 min40 min
620/60 min30/90 min
715/- min20/- min
1015-30 min15 (PM peak only)/30 min
1560 min90 min
1730/60 min60 min
2015-30 min15 (PM peak only)/30 min
2740/60 min3 trips
3515-20/30-60 min30/60 min
98X30/60 min45/90 min
99X15-45/- min40/- min
Eliminate Routes
(In addition to Scenario 2 changes)
  • Route 91X
  • Route 92X
  • Route 93X
  • Route 95X
  • Route 96X
  • Route 97X
  • Route 315
Alignment Changes
(None in addition to Scenario 1 & 2 changes)
  • Route 6 – eliminate Orinda Community Center loop
  • Route 15 – eliminate John Muir Hospital loop
  • Route 28 – extend to Concord BART, reroute from Arnold/Center to Muir Rd
  • Route 35 – eliminate Crow Canyon loop
    (New change since December webinar)
  • Route 92X – simplify routing through Bishop Ranch to remove stops at BR15 and Bishop/Sunset

Timeline

December 1, 2020Webinar
December 2020 – January 2021Refine plan details
January 2021Hold public hearings and gather public comment
February 18, 2021Summary of comments and draft recommendation to Board for feedback
March 18, 2021Final recommendation and Title VI Equity Analysis to Board for potential approval
Summer 2021 (or later)Implementation

Webinar

Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 5:00 pm

Members of the public are encouraged to participate remotely via Zoom at the following link or phone number. Members of the public participating by Zoom wishing to speak should use the “raise hand” feature or dial *9. In order to get the full Zoom experience, please make sure your application is up to date.

Attendee Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82214425092
Join by Telephone: 888 788 0099 (Toll Free) or 877 853 5247 (Toll Free)
Webinar ID: 822 1442 5092
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kelgsrbyXJ

2021 Service Plan Webinar PresentationDownload

Public Hearings

County Connection will hold four (4) public hearings to gather comments on potential service cuts. The public hearings will review three (3) proposed service reduction scenarios, and each public hearing will focus on a different region of County Connection’s service area.

Comments can be submitted in writing via mail, email, or online, or at one of the scheduled public hearings. Written comments must be received by January 22, 2021. It is anticipated that the Board of Directors will take action on the proposed service changes no later than March 18, 2021.

  • In writing to:
    Director of Planning & Marketing
    2477 Arnold Industrial Way
    Concord, CA 94520
  • At one of the public hearings (ALL via teleconference):

North Service Area – Martinez, North Concord
Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Web link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88020890928
By phone: 408-638-0968 (Meeting ID: 880 2089 0928)

2021 Service Plan Public Hearing Presentation – NorthDownload

Core Service Area – Clayton, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek
Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Web link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82806333877
By phone: 408-638-0968 (Meeting ID: 828 0633 3877)

2021 Service Plan Public Hearing Presentation – CoreDownload

Lamorinda Service Area – Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda
Friday, January 8, 2021, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Web link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86148441553
By phone: 408-638-0968 (Meeting ID: 861 4844 1553)

2021 Service Plan Public Hearing Presentation – LamorindaDownload

South Service Area – Danville, San Ramon, Dublin
Friday, January 8, 2021, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Web link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83388778518
By phone: 408-638-0968 (Meeting ID: 833 8877 8518)

2021 Service Plan Public Hearing Presentation – SouthDownload

30 thoughts on “2021 Service Plan”

  • How can anyone make sense of your reductions when you do not give current ridership data by time/day/route?

  • Will the Alamo Creek Shuttle be impacted? Also, does Scenario 3 cut off service between the Tri-Valley and the Walnut Creek area?

    • Hi Matt,

      No, the Alamo Creek Shuttle will not be impacted by any of the scenarios. Also, under all the scenarios, Route 21 will continue to provide local service between Walnut Creek and San Ramon

      • If you must scenario 1 would be the best of all scenarios. I know it doesn’t save as much as the others but it would have the least negative impact on the ridership

  • Get rid of the X(express ) routes and replace them with R(rapid) routes so that passengers can ride more on those routes. Add routes 2,3,8,12,13,14,22,23,24,25,26,29,30,31,32,33,34,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48.49,50 and 51 for the local routes and replace all the weekend routes, school routes and all the other routes because people are not using them, instead they’ll use local and rapid routes and they’ll operate everyday. Replace the current woman announcement voice that says now approaching and replace it with the man announcement voice that WHEELS that operates in Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore is currently using because it say next stop for BART Stations, Transit Centers, Medical Centers, Streets , Colleges , Universities , Schools, Amtrak Stations and Malls and Approaching for Streets because that makes sense for riders same goes to the Sound Effects for BART Stations, Transit Centers, Medical Centers, Streets , Colleges , Universities , Schools, Amtrak Stations and Malls and Stop Request. Please replace your current LED Signage and replace it with Hanover LED Signage that is currently used on VINE(Napa),Sonoma County Transit, Marin Transit, WESTCAT, Tri Delta Transit, WHEELS and AC Transit. Also the current CNG Buses cause a lot of pollution so it’s time to replace them with Gillig BRT Hybrid-Electric, Gillig BRT Battery-Electric, Van Hool A330 Hybrid-Electric and New Flyer XE40 and you’ll still have Stemco as the hubodometer.

  • The current woman announcement voice will go to Tri Delta Transit and WHEELS (Dublin,Livermore and Pleasanton)

  • Actually, County Connection prefers to get Gillig BRT Plus Battery-Electric,Gillig BRT Hybrid-Electric,Van Hool A330 Hybrid-Electric,BYD K9MC and Proterra ZX5 buses and not New Flyer.

  • Have you considered extended the 6 to Walnut Creek, replacing the 25 between that city and Lafayette?

  • That’s great news John-Paul, the 6 will look good for Walnut Creek BART and the 8 will go to Walnut Creek BART, Pleasant Hill BART ,Shadelands and Clayton.

  • There are still essential workers that uses the Express buses going to San Ramon. Eliminating both the 95 and 96 buses is going to leave us stranded. Please consider keeping at least the 95x
    Where it will make the rounds essential workers work-Cosco area, Kaiser, Anabel,Bishop Ranch 8 which easier to walk to Bishop Ranch 6 for At&t workers
    We will greatly appreciate if you at least consider.

    • I agree with Yayush, please do not eliminate all the express buses to San Ramon, the only other option is the 50mn 21 route and all those minutes add up during the week. Thank you

  • Yayush, R(Rapid) Routes are better than X(express) routes because nobody rides them so instead you’ll take R(rapid) routes because they’re fast.

  • Who needs Hanover displays that all transit buses have,it’s best to have LED Lighting Displays that Golden Gate Transit’s Gillig Low Floor numbers 1901-1967 has.

  • Actually replace the current LED lighting displays and woman announcement voice and replace it with the Hanover displays LED lighting that Tri Delta Transit,Wheels,WestCat and AC Transit has and the sounds and the man announcement voice that Wheels has because that sense for passengers who take County Connection .

      • Hi David,

        We are not currently planning on reinstating midday service on Route 96X due to historically low ridership. However, it’s something we can consider in the future as ridership demand returns.

  • That way County Connection and Wheels(Livermore,Dublin and Pleasanton)will switch announcement voices.

  • Let’s repaint the 2015-2016 Gillig BRT 40 foot buses from Bishop Ranch BART Express Green but keep the Black to the Red and Orange paint scheme the that is currently used on local routes.
    Remove the gold because it’s hard too see and replace it with orange,replace the current woman announcement voice and replace it with the sounds and man announcement voice that wheels has and replace the current led lighting displays with Hanover displays LED lighting displays that is used on Westcat,Wheels,AC Transit and Tri Delta Transit.
    So please add the Navy Blue,Dark Green and Burgundy paint scheme for the rapid routes because county connection will get rid of the Express routes and replace them with rapid routes.

  • For the essential workers who still comute from walnutcreek to San Ramon Bishop Ranch when you say the Rapid transit is faster is it the 21 that goes through town and very slow and like Lisa said it takes about 50 minutes and for for those of us who have to be at work 8AM and walk from the transit center to Anable Bishop Ranch 6 and 8 in the rain is going to be very difficult. Or are there
    going to be other buses .Or just have to one Express bus that runs 2times in the morning peak hours and one in the afternoon between 4and 6pm

  • Never mind Yayush,We’ll stick around with the X(express) routes and Bishop Ranch BART express because people will go from Walnut Creek BART to San Ramon Transit Center like you said Lisa says so who needs R(rapid) routes anyway and remember to change the colors from just green to Navy Blue,Dark Green and Maroon for Bishop Ranch BART Express that will be used for the X routes.

  • I’m telling you that the current LED displays signs on County Connection are old so now it’s time to replace them with the Hanover LED Displays Lighting that County Connection # 909,AC Transit,Tri Delta Transit and Westcat has because it’s new and it need to start tomorrow or next week.

  • No David,so you’ll have to take the 21 going from San Ramon Transit Center to Walnut Creek BART because that’s where it goes.

  • I understand this covid-19 hasn’t been easy for everyone. If some routes are going to be eliminated again because they aren’t enough riders. After we all get back to normal. Will these routes come back. I wish you guys can bring Route 2 back. Or have a different line going up to trotter way. It is so difficult for me to get out of the house. And I have to rely on lyft. And it is getting really expensive. And my parents are getting upset with me. Because I am spending too much money on lyft.

  • Please keep the time of the 1st 98x bus and possibly the 2nd out of Martinez Amtrak. People transferring at Walnut Creek to the Bart train and to other buses need to ride the 1st 98x bus because many are commuting to cities to the south and the west and start work at 8:00 or before.
    In addition, people who commute by riding the 1st Capitol Corridor Amtrak out of Sacramento, transfer to the 1st 98x at the Martinez Amtrak station as a part of their daily commute to work in a variety of locations In the Bay Area.
    Please also keep the run of the last 98x bus out Walnut Creek Bart to Martinez Amtrak, for those who are returning from a commute that takes them some time to reach Walnut Creek at the end of the day.
    When the 1st run of line 16 out of Martinez Amtrak was eliminated, it left only the 98x operating at an early enough time out of Martinez.
    Bart trains are now not operating as frequently as they did precovid. So it is important for those riding the 98x to get to Walnut Creek as early as they can.

  • Instead of Alhambra Avenue ,let route 16 go to Grayson Road, Reliez Valley Road, Briones Regional Park, Alhambra Valley Road and then Alhambra Avenue because it’s too long and it will be too late because my friend Michaela told me that those 5 are a shortcut.

  • So Pleasant Hill Road and Alhambra Avenue where route 16 currently goes will be taken by the new route 13 going from Concord BART to Martinez Amtrak

  • Let’s make a slight change which includes that Concord BART to Clayton will be operated by route 12 instead of route 10 and Pleasant Hill BART to Martinez Amtrak will be operated by route 10 instead of route 18 because route 18 will this time go to Concord BART,Pleasant Hill BART,Treat Blvd,Geary Rd,Withers Rd,Taylor Blvd,Grayson Road, Reliez Valley Road, Briones Regional Park, Alhambra Valley Road,Alhambra Avenue and Martinez Amtrak.

    • Comments are closed.