AirBART
AirBART was a shuttle bus service connecting the Bay Area Rapid Transit's Coliseum Station with Oakland International Airport (OAK). The service was replaced by the new BART to OAK automated guideway transit system on November 22, 2014.[1]
AirBART service
AirBART buses stopped at street level just outside the Coliseum BART station and served both airport terminals with one stop at the airport along the third curb. Buses ran every ten minutes, seven days a week. Service began at 5 a.m. (with 20-minute frequency until 6 a.m.) Monday to Saturday and at 8 a.m. on Sunday, and ran until midnight[2]
At the end of AirBART service, a ride cost $3 ($1 for children 12 years and younger, seniors 65 years and older, and disabled persons). To speed up boarding, AirBART required exact fare to be paid for boarding the bus, a ticket from the AirBART vending machine (credit card or debit card only) located at the terminal AirBART pickup location, or a $3 BART ticket. Payment was deposited into a standard farebox on board the bus. BART recommended that riders not purchase tickets from strangers as they may be fraudulent. Depending on traffic, the ride took ten to fifteen minutes (delays caused mostly by Raider game traffic).[3]
AirBART was a joint project of BART and the Port of Oakland, which owns and operates the airport.[4] It was operated by Veolia Transportation under contract. As of December 2009, the AirBART fleet consisted of five Eldorado Axess buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG).[5]
Alternatives
Trips between the BART station and Oakland Airport can also be made on AC Transit Route 73. AC Transit is cheaper at $2.10,[6] with additional discounts for those transferring.[7] Route 73 runs every 15 minutes every day, which is less frequent than AirBART service was. Although Route 73 makes several local stops, total trip time is only slightly longer.[8] The airport connection provided by Route 73 is not emphasized; signage and information is the same as the other AC Transit routes serving the station.
Passengers traveling from Coliseum BART Station to the airport on Route 73 must board in the “Airport” direction; conversely, passengers going from the airport to the BART station board in the “Eastmont Transfer Center” direction, which is the only boarding option at the airport.
AC Transit route 805 is also available late at night, after BART service ends.[9] This route provides service to downtown Oakland, where All Nighter connections are available.
BART to Oakland International Airport
The BART to OAK automated guideway transit (AGT) system replaced AirBART. BART to OAK is operated by BART and is integrated into the BART fare system with standard fare gates located at the entrance to the AGT system’s platform at Coliseum Station.
The system's automated guideway transit (AGT) system cars are cable driven and operate on a fixed, elevated guideway. The AGTs arrive at the Coliseum Station every four-and-one-half minutes and are designed to complete the trip to the airport in about eight minutes with an on-time performance greater than 99 percent. BART to OAK began operation on November 22, 2014.[10]
References
- ↑ http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df3/df11102014.shtml
- ↑ http://www.bart.gov/guide/airport/outbound_oak.aspx
- ↑ BART To OAK
- ↑ "AirBART fares going up". San Francisco Business Times. February 21, 2007.
- ↑ http://www.flyoakland.com/noise/environmental_airquality.shtml
- ↑ AC Transit Bus Fares
- ↑ AC Transit transfer FAQ
- ↑ AC Transit 73 schedule
- ↑ AC Transit 805 schedule
- ↑ "BART to Oakland International Airport". Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). June 20, 2013. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
