Is your AC Transit bus line changing? New routes begin this Sunday

AC Transit will implement its service-wide line changes on August 10, as part of the AC Transit Realign initiative aimed at optimizing bus routes. This plan introduces 104 redesigned lines to align with changing ridership patterns, as current service levels are at 85% of pre-pandemic numbers. The agency faces a projected $41. 5 million shortfall for the 2025-26 fiscal year, prompting these necessary adjustments. Bus drivers have raised concerns about insufficient break times and the potential disruption of popular routes, with one driver noting that scheduled breaks often shrink during rush hour.

Advocate Laurel Paget-Seekins emphasized the need for a comprehensive equity analysis to ensure fair service levels for communities of color. R. Paul Marcelin pointed out the elimination of the 376 Line, which previously catered to late-night UPS drivers, as a missed opportunity to adapt to current employment trends. The adjustments reflect AC Transit’s efforts to balance service while contending with declining sales tax revenues. The agency aims to increase ridership without adding more drivers, a challenging goal amid ongoing staffing shortages.