County Connection

The County Connection (officially, the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, CCCTA) is a Concord-based public transit agency operating fixed-route bus and ADA paratransit (County Connection LINK) service in and around central Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area. Established in 1980 as a joint powers authority, CCCTA assumed control of public bus service within central Contra Costa first begun by Oakland-based AC Transit as it expanded into suburban Contra Costa County in the mid-1970s (especially after the opening of BART).

County Connection
County Connection bus at Orinda station in 2018
ParentCentral Contra Costa Transit Authority
Founded1980
Headquarters2477 Arnold Industrial Way,
Concord, California
LocaleEast Bay
Service areaCentral Contra Costa County
Service typebus service
ADA paratransit
Routes29 local
7 express
25 select service
1 local shuttle
Stops1,000+
Fleet131 heavy-duty transit buses
48 paratransit vans
Daily ridership11,627 weekday boardings[1]
Fuel typeULSD
Chief executiveRick Ramacier
Websitecccta.org

History

In March 1980, the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority was created by a joint powers agreement between the cities of Clayton, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, the town of Moraga, and the County of Contra Costa. Upon their incorporation, the town of Danville and the city of San Ramon also joined CCCTA. CCCTA is governed by a board of directors, with a representative appointed from each of its member cities and the county. Day-to-day operations are overseen by the General Manager.

On July 1, 1980, CCCTA began service, with its first route serving Walnut Creek.[2] The changeover from AC Transit to County Connection was somewhat gradual, with County Connection assuming the remainder of the service by 1982.[3]

Fixed-route service

As of May 2020, the County Connection operates 25 weekday routes (three of which also operate on weekends), seven weekend-only routes, and 19 school tripper routes within central Contra Costa County.[4] All routes, with the exception of some of the 600-numbered series select service trips, connect with regional train service, primarily BART, in addition to ACE in Pleasanton and Amtrak, including Amtrak California's Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin services in Martinez. Among its 30 weekday routes, the County Connection operates seven express routes (Routes 91X—98X). With support from the city of Walnut Creek, the County Connection also operates a free downtown circulator with trolley livery (Route 4) with service between Walnut Creek and Broadway Plaza.

Major points of interest in the area served by the County Connection include:

Weekdays

Weekday service is provided on all routes except 300-numbered series routes, which operate only on weekends. 600-numbered series routes are select service trips convenient to area schools and operate on school days, with service timed to school bell times.[4]

Route Direction Terminals ACE, Amtrak, or BART Connection at Notes/Weekend Route
North/East Terminal South/West Terminal
1North-SouthMitchell Dr Park & RideRossmoorWalnut CreekRide 301 on Weekends
4
The Free Ride
North-SouthBART Walnut CreekBroadway PlazaWalnut CreekFree, daily service between BART Walnut Creek and Broadway Plaza via downtown
5North-SouthBART Walnut CreekCreekside DrWalnut Creek
6East-WestBART LafayetteBART OrindaLafayette, OrindaAlso operates on weekends
Operates 3 trips per day to Orinda Village and Community Center
7East-WestBART Pleasant HillPleasant Hill, Walnut CreekOperates from 6am - 7pm
9North-SouthDiablo Valley CollegeBART Walnut CreekPleasant Hill, Walnut CreekAlso serves JFK University
10East-WestClayton - Clayton Library
6 AM—8PM
Clayton Rd & Kirker Pass Rd
Before 6 AM and after 8 PM
BART ConcordConcordService via Clayton Rd Ride 310 on Weekends
11East-WestBART ConcordBART Pleasant HillConcord, Pleasant Hill Service via Meadow Ln and Oak Grove Rd (north of Treat Blvd) Ride 311 on Weekends
14North-SouthBART ConcordBART Pleasant HillConcord, Pleasant HillService via Monument Blvd Ride 314 on Weekends
15East-WestBART ConcordBART Pleasant HillConcord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut CreekService via Treat Blvd Ride 311 and 315 on Weekends
16North-SouthAmtrak Martinez
5:40 AM—8:40 PM
Crescent Plaza & Crescent Dr
After 8:40 PM
BART ConcordMartinez (Amtrak), ConcordService via Alhambra Ave, Crescent Plaza - Downtown Pleasant Hill, and Monument Blvd Ride 314 and 316 on Weekends
17North-SouthBART North ConcordBART ConcordNorth Concord, Concord
18North-SouthAmtrak MartinezBART Pleasant HillMartinez (Amtrak), Pleasant HillAlso serves Diablo Valley College Ride 316 on Weekends
19North-SouthAmtrak MartinezBART ConcordMartinez (Amtrak), ConcordRide 316 on Weekends
20East-WestBART ConcordDiablo Valley CollegeConcordAlso serves Sunvalley Mall Ride 314 and 320 on Weekends
21North-SouthBART Walnut CreekSan Ramon Transit CenterWalnut CreekService via Danville Blvd Ride 321 on Weekends
27East-WestBART North ConcordMason CircleMartinez (Amtrak), North ConcordAlso serves Diablo Valley College
28East-WestAmtrak MartinezDiablo Valley CollegeMartinez (Amtrak), North ConcordAlso serves Diablo Valley College
35North-SouthSan Ramon Transit CenterBART Dublin/PleasantonDublin/PleasantonService via Windemere Pkwy and East Branch Pkwy only during midday from 10:30 AM to 3:45 PM
91X
Concord Commuter Express
LoopBART Concord - Airport PlazaConcordOperates during AM and PM peak periods only
92X
ACE Express
North-SouthMitchell Dr Park & RideACE PleasantonPleasanton (ACE)Operates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves Danville Park & Ride and San Ramon Transit Center
93X
Kirker Pass Express
East-WestBART Walnut Creek
AM terminal
Hillcrest (Antioch) Park & Ride
PM terminal
Walnut CreekOperates westbound AM only, eastbound PM only (mornings to Walnut Creek, afternoons to Hillcrest Park & Ride)
95X
San Ramon Express
North-SouthBART Walnut CreekSan Ramon Transit CenterWalnut CreekOperates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves Danville Park & Ride
96X
Bishop Ranch Express, North
LoopBART Walnut Creek - Bishop RanchWalnut CreekOperates mainly during AM and PM peak periods only with three midday trips. Also serves San Ramon Transit Center
97X
Bishop Ranch Express, South
LoopBART Dublin/Pleasanton - Bishop RanchDublin/PleasantonOperates during AM and PM peak periods only. Also serves San Ramon Transit Center
98X
Martinez/Walnut Creek Express
North-SouthAmtrak MartinezBART Walnut CreekMartinez (Amtrak), Walnut CreekRoute also serves Contra Costa Blvd & Viking Dr - Sunvalley Mall
99X
Martinez/North Concord Express
East-WestAmtrak MartinezBART North ConcordMartinez (Amtrak), North ConcordRoute serves Arnold Industrial Wy & Pacheco Transit Hub
250
Gael Rail Shuttle
North-SouthBART LafayetteSaint Mary's CollegeLafayetteOperates late night trips only Thursday—Sunday
260
Cal State East Bay Shuttle
LoopBART Concord - Cal State East BayConcordOperates PM trips only Monday—Thursday
Alamo Creek ShuttleNorth-SouthBART Walnut CreekAlamo CreekWalnut CreekOperates northbound AM only, southbound PM only (mornings to Walnut Creek, afternoons to Alamo Creek)
712East-WestBART Pittsburg/Bay PointBART 19th Street OaklandPleasant HillEarly Bird Express route with limited early-morning trips[5]
715East-WestBART North Concord/MartinezBART LafayetteConcord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut CreekEarly Bird Express route with limited early-morning trips[5]

Weekends

Service is provided on the following 11 routes:

Route Direction Terminals ACE, Amtrak, or BART Connection at Notes
North/East Terminal South/West Terminal
4
The Free Ride
North-SouthBART Walnut CreekBroadway PlazaWalnut CreekFree, daily service between BART Walnut Creek and Broadway Plaza via downtown
6East-WestBART LafayetteBART OrindaLafayette, OrindaAlso operates on weekdays
250
Gael Rail Shuttle
North-SouthBART LafayetteSaint Mary's CollegeLafayetteOperates PM trips only Thursday—Sunday
301North-SouthJohn Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek CampusRossmoorWalnut Creek
310East-WestClayton Rd & Kirker Pass RoadConcord BartConcord
311East-WestBART ConcordBART Walnut CreekConcord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek
314East-WestConcord BARTDiablo Valley CollegeConcordService via Contra Costa Blvd, Monument Blvd, and Clayton Rd
315East-WestClayton Rd & Bel Air DrBART ConcordConcord
316North-SouthAlhambra Ave & Walnut AveBART Pleasant HillMartinez (Amtrak), Pleasant HillAlso serves Diablo Valley College
320East-WestBART ConcordDiablo Valley CollegeConcordService via Diamond Blvd
321North-SouthBART Walnut CreekSunset Dr & Bishop DrWalnut CreekAlso serves San Ramon Transit Center
335 North-South San Ramon Transit Center BART Dublin/Pleasanton Dublin Starts August 11th, 2019, serves Bishop Ranch[6]

Fixed-route fleet

Old trolley bus 316 (with special "Free Ride" livery) in service on then-Route 104 at Broadway Plaza

The current fixed-route fleet consists of 135 wheelchair-accessible buses manufactured by Gillig. Each bus is accessible by a ramp and has space for two wheelchairs. Buses feature Clever Devices GPS-based automatic voice annunciation (AVA) and visual next-stop announcements. Each bus has the capacity for two bicycles on a front bumper-mounted rack, with an additional two bicycles permitted aboard at the bus operator's discretion.

Fleet # Length (feet) Floor height Wheelchair-accessible via Make Model Year Fuel
900-908 40 Low-floor Fold-out ramp Gillig Low Floor BRT 2009 Diesel-electric hybrid
909-939 40 Low-floor Fold-out ramp Gillig Low Floor BRT 2009-2010 ULSD
1300-1309 40 Low-floor Fold-out ramp Gillig Low Floor BRT 2013 ULSD
1400-1406 29 Low-floor Fold-out ramp Gillig Low Floor 2014 ULSD
1500-1532 40 Low-floor Fold-out ramp Gillig Low Floor BRT 2015-2016 ULSD
1600-1603 29 Low floor Fold out ramp Gillig Trolley Bus EV 2016 Electric
1700-1712 35 Low floor Fold out ramp Gillig Low Floor 2017 ULSD
1713-1726 29 Low floor Fold out ramp Gillig Low Floor 2017 ULSD
1800-1803 29 Low floor Fold out ramp Gillig Low Floor EV 2018 Electric

References

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