Editing AC Transit (section)

==History==
Voters created the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in 1956 and subsequently approved a $16.5 million bond issue in 1959 enabling the District to buy out the failing privately owned Key System Transit Lines. In October 1960, AC Transit's service began.<ref>{{cite news |title=Two-County Transit Hands Over $7.5 Million for Key |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220604/ |access-date=15 November 2023 |agency=Martinez News-Gazette |publisher=Newspapers.com |date=September 30, 1960 |page=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220604/ 1]–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinez-news-gazette/135220719/ 2]}}</ref> The new District built up the bus fleet with 250 new buses, extended service into new neighborhoods, created an intercity express bus network, and increased Bay Bridge bus service.<ref>[http://www.actransit.org/about-us/celebrating-ac-transits-50th-anniversary/ History of AC Transit]</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.actransit.org/website/uploads/board_memos/90ca15.pdf |title=Draft Short Range Transit Plan |chapter=Chapter 1: Agency History |publisher=Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District |year=2003}}</ref>

Numerous AC Transit routes were modified in 1972–73 to serve the new [[BART]] system. AC Transit began operating express service connecting BART terminals with outer suburban points under contract to BART on December 2, 1974. With BART operating, suburban municipalities began contracting with AC Transit to operate local bus service. Service began in Fremont on November 12, 1974; in Newark on December 16, 1974; in Concord on September 8, 1975; in Pleasant Hill on December 8, 1975; in Moraga and Orinda on September 13, 1976; and in Antioch and Pittsburg (as [[Tri Delta Transit]] under contract to the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority) on June 5, 1977.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.actransit.org/website/uploads/History-of-Lines-by-Line.pdf |pages= |title=History of Lines by Line: Major Changes Since 1960 |publisher=Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) |date=July 17, 1978}}</ref> The lines in central Contra Costa County ([[County Connection]]) were transferred to the new Central Contra Costa Transit Authority in June 1982.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/146069368/ |title=AC Transit losing part of its empire to secessionists |first=Don |last=Lattin |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=January 17, 1982 |page=21 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Tri-Delta Transit switched to a different operator in 1984.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 26, 2020 |title=Short Range Transit Plan 2020 – 2029 |url=https://trideltatransit.com/pdf/ECCTA-2020-29-SRTP.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421083748/https://trideltatransit.com/pdf/ECCTA-2020-29-SRTP.pdf |archive-date=2021-04-21 |publisher=Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority |page=1}}</ref>

In 2003, the District introduced a [[San Mateo-Hayward Bridge]] route. Designated as Line M, the service connected the BART stations of [[Castro Valley, California|Castro Valley]] and [[Hayward, California|Hayward]] with [[Foster City, California|Foster City]] and [[San Mateo, California|San Mateo]]'s Hillsdale [[Caltrain]] station.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.actransit.org/news/articledetail.wu?articleid=0c8ac45b |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205045143/http://www.actransit.org/news/articledetail.wu?articleid=0c8ac45b |archive-date=February 5, 2005 |date=December 21, 2004 |title=Line M a Success |publisher=AC Transit}}</ref> A second San Mateo-Hayward Bridge route, Line MA, was added in 2006 and discontinued in 2007. In 2004, the District began service on '''Line U''' across the [[Dumbarton Bridge (California)|Dumbarton Bridge]], connecting [[Stanford University]] with [[Altamont Corridor Express|ACE]] and BART trains in Fremont. As part of a consortium of transit agencies (including AC Transit, BART, SamTrans, [[Union City Transit]], and [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority|VTA]]), the District already operated [[Dumbarton Express]] bus service across the Dumbarton Bridge.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.actransit.org/news/articledetail.wu?articleid=f5a0c151 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050213144452/http://www.actransit.org/news/articledetail.wu?articleid=f5a0c151 |archive-date=February 13, 2005 |title=Cruise from Fremont to Stanford on Line U |date=September 23, 2004 |publisher=Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District}}</ref>

On June 30, 2003, a new "rapid bus" line operating on [[San Pablo Avenue]] was introduced. Designated as Line 72R (or San Pablo Rapid), the service connected [[Oakland, California|Oakland]] with [[Richmond, California|Richmond]] and operated at faster speeds than regular local service due to wide stop spacing and signal priority treatments.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Beginning December 10, 2005, AC Transit began participating in the regional [[All Nighter (night bus service)|All Nighter]] network, providing 24-hour bus service throughout its service area to supplement BART service, which does not operate during owl hours. AC Transit had provided 24-hour service on many of its trunk lines prior to this date, except in the late 1990s due to budget limitations.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

On December 13, 2013, AC Transit adopted a new fare policy that brought changes to the transit system July 2014, including a new day pass that is in line with other transit agencies including [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority|VTA]] and [[SamTrans]].<ref>[http://www.actransit.org/2013/12/13/board-adopts-new-improved-fare-policy/ Board Adopts New & Improved Fare Policy]. AC Transit. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.</ref> The policy is also designed to speed boarding and help keep buses on schedule, provide greater convenience and value for customers, and encourage more customers to switch to [[Clipper (card)|Clipper]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-01 |title=New Day Pass & Other Fare Policy Changes Coming in July |url=http://www.actransit.org/2014/05/01/new-day-pass-other-fare-policy-changes-coming-in-july/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140604165146/http://www.actransit.org/2014/05/01/new-day-pass-other-fare-policy-changes-coming-in-july/ |archive-date=2014-06-04 |publisher=AC Transit}}</ref>