Higher fares, new operator for buses to Cal games

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 26, 2008 | by Denis Cuff

Bus fares to and from Contra Costa County and UC Berkeley home football games will rise sharply this year as new federal regulations spur a change from a public to private bus operator.

Silverado Stages Inc. will take over the bus service with Cal's opening game Saturday against Michigan State at Memorial Stadium.

Under the new operator, the round trip will cost $18 for tickets purchased online and $20 for tickets bought from the bus driver on game day. Buses depart from the Lafayette BART station and park-and- ride lots in Concord, Pittsburg and Antioch.

County Connection last year charged $7 for round-trip pre-paid tickets, and $9 for regular tickets from the Concord and Lafayette BART stations.

County Connection for 20 years had operated the football buses, which carried more than 400 riders to and from some popular games.

But new federal charter bus regulations require public transit agencies this year to give up special bus services such as the one to UC Berkeley games if a private carrier steps forward to take over, said Mary Burdick, a County Connection spokeswoman.

"It's been a nice service for our riders," Burdick said, "but the charter regulations have changed."

The football game buses would not have remained such a bargain even if County Connection had continued to operate them, Burdick said.

County Connection would have considered doubling the fares to reduce or eliminate the large public subsidy to operate the service, she said. "Our board didn't feel comfortable subsidizing the service with rising fuel prices and the threatened cuts in state dollars to public transit agencies."

Cal Bears fans who want to ride public transit to the games can take BART to the Rockridge station, and then take AC Transit route 51 buses.

Contact Denis Cuff at 925-943-8267 or dcuff@bayareanewsgroup.comInfobox1

Information about charter bus service to UC Berkeley home football games from Lafayette, Concord, Pittsburg and Antioch is available by calling 1-866-766-4937 or visiting www.majoreventtrans.com