As a genuine transit geek, I could talk all day about what goes on behind the scenes in running a transit system, but the one question we’re asked more than any other is “when is my bus coming?”. We have several ways of letting you know:
Printed timetables
If you want to go old-skool, there’s our tried-and-true printed timetables. Some of you will remember when printed timetables were just about the only way to know when your bus would arrive, and we still provide these on our buses and at libraries, community centers, and city halls (they may also be downloaded from our website). These timetables tell you when the bus is scheduled to arrive at the timepoints along the route (timepoints are bus stops where the bus will stop and wait if it is running ahead of schedule), but you’ll always want to make sure you have the most up-to-date version.
- (If you need any printed timetables, they’re available at County Connection, 2477 Arnold Industrial Way in Concord and at various locations around Contra Costa County. Or, you may email us customerservice@cccta.org, and we’ll be glad to mail you what you need.)
Schedule panels
About half of our bus stops have schedule panels showing the arrival times for each route serving that stop (or the previous timepoint for stops that aren’t themselves a timepoint). We typically install schedule panels at bus stops served by more than one route, and at all BART stations and transit centers. They’re a great way to confirm that you’re at the right stop at the right time, but they won’t tell you if the bus is running late. Each timetable is specific to the location of the stop.
Call customer service
We have a dedicated in-house team of friendly and helpful customer service representatives who know all of our routes, are in frequent contact with our dispatchers, can tell you where your bus is, help you plan your trip, or even check to see if something you left on the bus has been turned in to lost & found. You can call them at (925) 676-7500, Monday through Friday between 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. They look forward to hearing from you!
Real-time arrival signs
Here’s where we get into some new technology! We recently installed electronic real-time arrival signs at 28 of our busiest stops, and we have an entire article written about them (See Real-Time Bus Signs Installed for more information and a detailed map of current location of these signs).
County Connection website
Our website has schedules for all of our routes, plus interactive route maps that show the current location of each bus. You can watch your bus as it moves along the route in real time (visit specific route pages), and you can click on your bus stop for real-time arrival estimates. Just visit countyconnection.com and select “Maps & Schedules” from the menu at the top. You can also download our system map to get the overall picture of our entire system (something enjoyed by map nerds such as myself).
Google/Apple maps
In addition to a trip planner, both apps (Google Maps and Apple Maps) include a public transit map layer (you’ll find it right next to the traffic layer) that features the location of every bus stop and transit station. Tapping on a bus stop will bring up real-time arrival information for every route that stops there.
Transit app
My personal favorite, the Transit app is designed specifically for transit riders. From the start, it automatically shows you the transit routes closest to your current location and their next arrival time. Clicking on a route opens an interactive route map showing the current location of each bus, its full schedule, and even in some cases how full it is. The app also features a robust trip planning tool that will usually provide you with several options, and it will even tell you when to start walking to your bus stop. Now covering the Bay Area over a decade, the Transit App changed the way I use transit by greatly simplifying trip planning, reassuring me that the bus I’m waiting for is on its way, and even letting me know that I can take a more leisurely walk to my bus stop if it’s running a few minutes late. I recently used the app to take a trip to South San Francisco that included County Connection, BART, Muni, and Caltrain (with seamless connections between all four operators), and over the years I’ve used the app across the United States and abroad (because of course I take transit when I travel!).
We’ve come a long way from the days when you had to find a printed schedule and then wait at the bus stop, not knowing where your bus was until you could see it up the block. Online tools have greatly improved my transit experience, and they will likely do the same for you!
Please note: this article is not sponsored by Google, Apple, or the Transit App.
Andrew Smith is the Director of Planning & Marketing. Do you have question about County Connection? About our buses? About our routes and service? Email asmith@cccta.org and your question might be included in a future issue of our monthly newsletter, Headways.