New bus services link campus with Rockridge BART

By Marie Felde, Public Affairs

Berkeley Lab's service runs from 6:35 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. every 30 to 40 minutes. The lab's bus will drop passengers off in front of International House, at the top of Bancroft Way at Piedmont Avenue. The AC Transit bus runs weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. at 15-minute intervals. It stops at Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue near the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union, and then makes a loop around campus. Its stops include one at Center Street and Shattuck Avenue, across from the downtown Berkeley BART station.

31 January 2001 | The university and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have teamed up with AC Transit and the city of Berkeley in a new pilot program to help relieve traffic congestion in the city and promote the use of public transit.

Faculty, staff and students and laboratory employees can use Berkeley Lab's free shuttle service in the morning between the campus and the Rockridge BART station. The service includes use of AC Transit's regular bus service linking the campus and the station for free.

"This expanded service is another step in our ongoing efforts to help reduce traffic on city streets and ease the demand for parking. Thanks to terrific cooperation, we are able to offer a convenient alternative to campus commuters that also promises to be a real benefit to southside residents," said Chancellor Berdahl.

Berkeley City Council member Polly Armstrong, whose district includes both the campus and laboratory, played a key role in getting the shuttle realized. Thanks to her initiative, the parties have signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-month pilot program.

"We all share a common interest in improving gridlock in south of campus. I'm excited to bring this group together for what I hope will be a helpful solution," said Armstrong.

Berkeley Lab Director Charles Shank noted that the laboratory's agreement to invite UC Berkeley riders to share the lab's popular Rockridge BART shuttle during the morning commute "extends our own commitment to alternative transportation options, which over the years has included a successful shuttle bus system between downtown Berkeley and the laboratory."

After a five-month trial, the service will be evaluated to determine whether it will be modified or continued, said Nadesan Permaul, director of transportation. The Office of Parking and Transportation is coordinating the service with Berkeley Lab and AC Transit.

Riders will need to show appropriate identification. For students, it will be their student ID with a Class Pass sticker. Faculty and staff need to show their employee photo ID.

In the morning, faculty, staff and students coming from the Rockridge BART station have the option of using the Berkeley Lab's direct shuttle bus or AC Transit's #64 bus to the campus. In the afternoon, the return trip to Rockridge BART is limited to the AC Transit service. Both buses offer schedules to get passengers to the campus in 15 minutes. Copies may be picked up directly under the BART station on College Avenue.

Visit http://www.berkeley.edu/ transportation for information on the service. Faculty and staff can get a Cal Photo ID at no cost from the Photo ID center located at 110 Cesar Chavez Center, Lower Sproul. For information, visit http://calphotoid.berkeley.edu/, e-mail: team-p-i-d@uclink.berkeley.edu or call 643-6839.