TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Salvador Llamas, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: BART Early Bird Express Agreement 2025-2028
ACTION ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ?
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing the General Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) to provide early morning bus service for a period effective August 8, 2025, through February 10, 2028, with three (3) additional single-year options.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Strong Public and Policymaker Support
Initiative - Service Quality
Since February 2019, AC Transit and other transit agencies in the Bay Area have provided early morning bus service, branded as the Early Bird Express, on behalf of District BART while it conducts long-term state-of-good-repair maintenance of its right-of-way during early morning hours. The Early Bird Express provides critical regional mobility for those who would otherwise take BART before 5:00 a.m. BART has expressed interest in continuing the Early Bird Express for approximately three additional years.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
The District is reimbursed by BART for all costs associated with operating Early Bird Express service. As the Early Bird Express service network has been greatly reduced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the estimated annual cost to operate Early Bird Express at current service levels and the agreed upon $203 hourly rate under the last agreement is approximately $762,085. BART and the transit agencies which operate the Early Bird Express network on its behalf also maintain open lines of communication should there be a need to adjust the service levels.
Using the most current fully-loaded rate of $281.48 based on preliminary reporting to the 2024/2025 National Transit Database, and assuming no escalation for the term of the agreement, the estimat...
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