BART, Regional Transit Agencies To Run During Coronavirus Shelter-In-Place
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Bay Area Rapid Transit and other regional transit agencies will continue to operate during the three-week, multi-county shelter-in-place order, the agencies announced Monday.
The shelter-in-place order for six Bay Area counties considers public transit as an essential service for riders performing essential activities and for riders traveling to and from "essential business" work.
BART Trains will be long enough to allow for social distancing, the agency said. Ridership levels over the last week have enabled de facto social distancing on trains; BART said there was from 24 to 61 percent fewer riders on the system, depending on the day of the week.
The agency said increased cleaning and disinfecting were continuing in stations and trains.
Caltrain will also maintain service through the three-week shelter-in-place order, although service will be limited and is only for essential travel.
Caltrain's schedule during that time will operate on a reduced peak-hour schedule, which eliminates all Baby Bullet service. Weekend service will continue during this time.
The new schedule can be found at www.caltrain.com.
In response to the virus, Caltrain is continuing daily onboard cleaning and sanitation protocols.
According to Caltrain, the agency will be monitoring its ridership during the three-week order, and may change service as needed, in order to ensure social distancing, which encourages people to stay at arm's length from one another per the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention's recommendations.
Caltrain said it's already seen one-way and day pass tickets sales decline by 75 percent, compared to sales two weeks ago.
In San Francisco, the iconic cable cars will be shut down as well as Muni's E and F lines. Other Muni lines will be re-routed to better serve critical health care facilities and neighborhoods.
Golden Gate Transit and Golden Gate Ferry will also adjust service effective Tuesday, March 17. The adjusted schedules will be in place until further notice. Complete information on the temporary schedules can be found here.
AC Transit, County Connection, Marin Transit, Muni, SamTrans, Sonoma County Transit, STA, and VTA would all continue to operate bus, light rail and paratransit services for essential travel.
With the city's schools closed, several agencies indicated supplemental school routes would be suspended.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
The shelter-in-place order defines essential travel as including travel:
- to obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or household members.
- to engage in activities or perform tasks essential to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members.
- to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.
- to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services.
- to return to a place of residence from outside the jurisdiction.
- required by law enforcement or court order.
- required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the County.
