Uncategorized – Page 6 – County Connection

Alamo Creek Shuttle: Frequent Rider Rewards

Win prizes for riding each month!

We’re giving back to you, our frequent Alamo Creek Shuttle riders! Passengers who ride the most each month will be eligible to receive a gift card. The more rides you take, the greater your chance of winning!

To participate:

  1. Ride the Alamo Creek Shuttle: Check with your driver when you board to fill out a sign-up sheet. We count ridership from the 1st of the month to the end of the month.
  2. Continue to Ride: Each time you ride, you can log your trip with the driver.
  3. Final Drawing: At the end of each month, we’ll select 5 passengers with the most logged trips and contact you if you are a winner.

Prizes: Winners may choose between a Clipper Card ($20) or a Starbucks gift card ($20).


FEATURES OF ALAMO CREEK SHUTTLE

• Free to anyone traveling to and from the Danville Park ‘n Ride and Walnut Creek BART.
• Shuttle may stop at other locations within the 1.5 mile corridor along Camino Tassajara and 1-680
• Scheduled pickup at your door.
• Call 925-943-1829 for reservations 7 days a week.

Contra Costa School Schedules – 2023/24

School District Page Jump: Lamorinda | Mt. Diablo | San Ramon | Walnut Creek


RING! RING! School’s back in session and getting to class is easy on County Connection! Below, you can find schedules (600 series school routes) for the 2023/24 school year. Note: We’ve adjusted some bus schedule times on routes to align better with bell time changes, which helps to improve on-time performance.

Free & discounted youth transit passes!

Graphic of a bus to promote Pass2Class

PASS2CLASS – Free County Connection Bus Passes

Pass2Class offers free bus passes to Contra Costa students at the beginning of the school year to ride County Connection until October 31, 2023.
>> Learn more about Pass2Class

Image of a hand holding a Clipper Card

YOUTH CLIPPER CARDDiscounted Youth Passes

Youth can save 20% on County Connection fixed route service including school routes (600 select series) with a Youth Clipper Card.
>> Learn more about Youth Clipper Cards


Maps & Routes

Lamorinda School Districts

  • Route 606 > Orinda BART – Miramonte HighOrinda Intermediate – Lafayette BART
  • Route 625 > Lafayette BART – Happy Valley Rd – Acalanes High
  • Route 626 > Lafayette BART – Stanley Middle School – Saint Mary’s College

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Mt. Diablo School District


*School served by regular local bus routes. See individual school map for route information.

  • Route 611 > Concord BART – Oak Grove Rd – Oak Grove Middle
  • Route 612 > Concord BART – Clayton Rd – Pine Hollow Middle
  • Route 613 > Oak Grove Middle – Oak Grove Rd – Detroit Ave – Concord BART
  • Route 615 > Concord HighOlympic High El Dorado Middle – Concord BART
  • Route 616 > Concord BART – Monument Blvd – Oak Grove Rd – Oak Grove Middle
  • Route 619 > Oak Grove Middle – Pleasant Hill BART

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San Ramon Valley Unified School District


*School served by regular local bus routes. See individual school map for route information.

  • Route 622 > Pine Valley MiddleCalifornia High – Crow Canyon Rd
  • Route 623 > Alamo Plaza – Monte Vista High – Camino Tassajara – Crow Canyon Rd
  • Route 635 > Windemere RanchGale Ranch MiddleDougherty Valley High – Tassajara Ranch
  • Route 636 > Iron Horse Middle – Bollinger Canyon Rd – California High Pine Valley Middle – Dublin/Pleasanton BART

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Walnut Creek School District

  • Route 601 > Walnut Creek BART – Rossmoor – Walnut Creek Intermediate
  • Route 602 > Walnut Blvd – Trotter Way – Walnut Creek BART – Walnut Creek Intermediate
  • Route 605 > Creekside Dr – Walnut Creek Intermediate

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County Connection Operators Approve 3-Yr Offer

Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCCTA) has reached an agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Local 1605, who voted 54% in favor of extending their contract with an economic package proposed by CCCTA.  

CCCTA’s Board of Directors has a long history of offering comparable packages to all of its labor partners. Upon receiving a request for an offer from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge No. 190 (IAM) the same offer was made to the other two unions, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) Local 856 and ATU, Local 1605. The ATU, Local 1605 received the offer on October 27th and members voted on December 20th. In order to expedite the process, the Board held a special meeting on December 21st to ratify the contract, which was set to expire on January 31, 2023. With the needed simple majority member approval, the contract is now extended through January 31, 2026. 

For the agreed upon terms, the ATU was offered the same contract as that of IAM and the Teamsters, with both approving the offer, unanimously, in November 2022. ATU members now have a 3-year extension package and a five percent (5%) raise in year one, which includes a includes a $2,500 tax-free payment up front. In year two, ATU members will receive an increase of four percent (4%), followed by three percent (3%) in the final year.

Chair of the Board, Amy Worth, said of the agreements, “The continued success of CCCTA depends on the stability, mutual understanding, and respect shared between its management and their represented labor partners. Now more than ever, the services offered to Central Contra Costa are crucial to the residents within the County Connection service area.” Worth added, “To have all three unions approve a 3-year contract well ahead of the contracts expiring, is heartening and tells me this public agency is on the right path forward and ensures continued service reliability for our residents.”

CCCTA Reaches Unanimous Union Approval – 3 Year Extension

November 2022 – Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCCTA), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge No. 190, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters) Local 856 approved extending existing work rules with an economic package proposed by CCCTA. 

Both unions approached the General Manager requesting contract extensions, well in advance of their respective contract term end date, to avoid unnecessary negotiations. Recognizing the long-standing positive working relationships between management and the unions, CCCTA’s Board of Directors approved a package that was unanimously accepted by all members of the IAM and Teamsters Unions.

For the terms, the Machinists and Teamsters agreed upon a 3-year extension package with a 3-month early adoption. Both unions accepted a five percent (5%) raise in year one, which includes a $2,500 tax-free payment up front. In year two, CCCTA offered to increase the wage rate for all Bargaining Unit Employees (represented the IAM and Teamsters) by four percent (4%). And in year three, CCCTA offered to increase the wage rate by three percent (3%). All other articles, sections, attachments, terms and provisions of the most recent Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) will remain in effect for the duration of the agreement. 

Bill Churchill, General Manager of CCCTA, affirmed, “I look forward to the fruitful collaboration with all of our labor partners, in the years to come.” Churchill, who presented the 3-year deal, added, “Together we will continue on the road to recovery and improve our communities.”

Public Hearing: Weekend Monument Free Expansion

Notice of Public Hearing

The Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (County Connection) will hold a public hearing to gather comment on the proposed continuation of a pilot program offering free rides on weekend Routes 311, 314, and 316, as long as funding remains available for the program through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) or another similar funding source. This is an expansion of the existing Monument Free Program providing free fares on corresponding weekday Routes 11, 14, and 16. These routes serve low-income communities along the Monument Corridor and connect from Concord BART to various destinations in Martinez, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek, including BART stations, Martinez Amtrak and Contra Costa Regional Medical Center.

Comments can be submitted in writing via mail, email, or online, or at the scheduled public hearing. Written comments must be received by December 7, 2022.

How to Comment

It is anticipated that the Board of Directors will take action on the proposed fare program at their regular meeting scheduled for December 15, 2022, following the public hearing.

Public Hearing: 2023-2028 Short Range Transit Plan

Notice of Public Hearing

The Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (County Connection) will hold a public hearing to gather comments on the draft Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) covering fiscal years 2023-2028.

About the SRTP

The SRTP is County Connection’s operations and financial planning document. In order to effectively execute planning and programming responsibilities, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) requires each transit operator receiving federal funding through the Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to prepare, adopt, and submit an SRTP to MTC every four years in order to remain eligible to receive federal funding.

County Connection’s last Full SRTP was completed in 2016 and the current effort will result in an updated SRTP covering FY2023 through FY2028. Revised guidelines were established as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and narrow the scope to a five-year planning horizon with a focus on financial and service planning.

The plan focuses on evaluating existing service and developing future service plans based on three scenarios of varying revenue recovery over the next 5 years. The operating budget assumed for each scenario is based on the level of federal stimulus available, recovery of revenue from other sources, and ridership recovery. The service plans are aimed to align resources available in each of the scenarios with ridership demand as well as feedback received from the passenger survey conducted during September 2022.

Review the draft plan here:

How to Comment

Comments can be submitted in writing via mail, email, or online, or at the scheduled Public Hearing. Written comments must be received by December 7, 2022.

It is anticipated that the Board of Directors will take action on the draft SRTP at their regular meeting scheduled for December 15, 2022, following the public hearing.

Passenger Survey

County Connection is conducting a survey through the month of September to find out more about your transit needs and rider experience.

Over the next few weeks, passengers on our routes may be asked to complete a quick survey to help us understand how our services are being used and where we can improve.

You can also fill out the survey online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cccta2022. Even if you’re not currently riding transit, we encourage you to complete the survey to help us plan for the future.

All responses are confidential. We appreciate your participation and input!

Administrative Offices to Reopen to Public Starting Tuesday, 9/6

County Connection’s administrative offices, including the LINK Paratransit office, will reopen to the public starting Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Our offices will be open Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Masks are currently required while inside our offices.

Our Customer Service call center continues to be staffed during regular hours (Monday – Friday, 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM) and can be reached by phone at (925) 676-7500 or email at help@countyconnection.com.

We will also be continuing our mobile lobby and outreach events. Click here for a schedule of dates and locations.

Wheels and County Connection Consolidate Paratransit Services

Innovative approach for ADA qualified riders eliminates need for transfers.

LIVERMORE, CA – CONCORD, CA The Boards of Directors of the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (Wheels) and the Central Contra Costa County Transit Authority (County Connection) have approved the consolidation of paratransit services previously operated independently by the two transit systems.  The innovative approach of this partnership will help increase agency productivity, improve service delivery, and enhance the customer experience, as evidenced by a recent customer satisfaction survey.  This agreement follows a successful pilot project to test the concept, called One-Seat Ride, which features regional collaboration between Wheels, County Connection, WestCat, and Tri-Delta Transit that was designed to address essential paratransit interagency travel during COVID-19 that took riders, within the four participating agencies’ areas of service, to their final destination with no transfers.

“This new partnership with County Connection goes way beyond the One-Seat concept,” said Alameda County Supervisor and LAVTA Board Chair David Haubert. “The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) required cities to provide paratransit service for residents with disabilities, but provided no operating funds.  The consolidation of Wheels and County Connection paratransit services allows the agencies to more efficiently spend transportation funding dollars by sharing resources, while providing vital services to those riders unable to use a fixed-route service due to disabilities.”

Riders eligible for paratransit services under ADA will find using the newly consolidated Wheels and County Connection services streamlined by the availability of a smartphone app to make the transit network more accessible and allows passengers access to real-time information to track their ride, receive status notifications, cancel, and rate their ride.  Currently booking a paratransit trip remains through phone reservation systems, however, coming this winter, riders will be able to book trips online through the mobile app as well.

“As the population ages, more and more people rely on paratransit to get around,” said City of San Ramon Mayor and County Connection Board Chair Dave Hudson. “With the growing need, we have to be smart about how we provide these services. This paratransit consolidation enables Wheels and County Connection to offer better access to transportation, especially to destinations that cross the boundaries of the two agencies without riders having to get out of their seat to transfer between rides saving time and enhancing safety.”

The new consolidation of paratransit services is seamless to riders. Eligible people for paratransit services under the ADA, those unable to use regular buses and trains due to a disability or disabling health condition, can make reservations 1 to 7 days in advance through County Connection LINK (925) 938-RIDE (938-7433) and Wheels Dial-A-Ride: (925) 455-7510.  Rides are door-to-door and the costs to use the paratransit services are calculated by the reservationist at the time of booking.  One-Seat Rides will continue to be available through the (925) 680-2134 reservation line.

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About County Connection

County Connection operates fixed-route and paratransit bus service throughout the communities of Concord, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Walnut Creek, Clayton, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Danville, San Ramon, as well as unincorporated communities in Central Contra Costa County. In 2022, County Connection received the Outstanding Paratransit Program Award from the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT).

For more information, visit countyconnection.com or call Customer Service at (925) 676-7500.

About the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority

The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) was created in 1985 by the cities of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton and Alameda County to serve area transit needs. In 2018 and 2019, LAVTA was named Transit Agency of the Year by the California Transit Association and the California Association for Coordinated Transportation, respectively. In 2020, LAVTA was named the top transit agency of its size in North America by the American Public Transportation Association.

LAVTA supports environmental sustainability by reducing vehicle trips and traffic congestion on local streets and improving air quality in the Tri-Valley region. In addition to passenger fares, the agency is supported financially by federal, state and local agencies, including the Alameda County Transportation Commission’s Measure B and BB.

Follow LAVTA on Facebook at facebook.com/wheelsbus and on Twitter @wheelsbus or visit our website wheelsbus.com for more information on Wheels and Rapid bus services, our Dial-A-Ride paratransit service as well as our Go Tri-Valley promotion with Uber and Lyft.