At the May 2, 2024 BPAC Infrastructure Committee meeting, AC Transit will present an update of AC Transit Board Policy 501.

AC Transit currently operates across more than 20 cities and unincorporated areas in Alameda County and the East Bay, serving a network of 5,600 bus stops throughout its service area. Bus Stops represent the “front door” to AC Transit’s service and decisions regarding their placement and condition affect riders’ access to the service as well as the operation of the service itself.

AC Transit Board Policy No. 501: Bus Stop Guidelines, sets forth AC Transit’s guidelines for future bus stop placement regarding spacing, location, and accessibility. The policy is due for its five-year update to clarify bus stop policy elements aligning with the needs and preferences of AC Transit riders and to reflect the latest in best practices and customer needs. Specifically, the goals of this update include making the policy more customer-focused, addressing safety concerns that affect bus stop placement, and ensuring rider access to the District’s service network.

Why update the policy?

• Policy due for a five-year update
• Make the policy more customer-focused
• Develop a hierarchy for decision making
• Reflect the District’s priorities and goals
• Easing navigation between different bus stop related documents:
  • Bus Stop Furniture Design Guidelines
  • 501 Administrative Regulation: Bus Stops
  • Transit Supportive Design Guidelines

The presentation is below, followed by notes from the presentation and discussion.

Presentation

Presentation notes

• Overview
  • Existing bus stop policies and guidance: bus stop placement, spacing, location, length and accessibility
  • Why updating? Due for 5 year update; want to make the policy more customer focused.
• Stakeholder engagement
  • Internal
    • Bus stop committee
    • Other stakeholders
  • External:
    • Hoping to have webpage, feedback form, social media, tech advisory committee, presentation to community based organizations, other existing bodies.
• Guiding principles for decisions on stop locations
  • Did peer review of similar agencies—noticed similar language on safety, comfort, accessibility, visibility…
  • Developed AC Transit guide : safety, comfort, accessibility, feasibility, reliability
    • Feasibility: “community input should play a pivotal role” 
• Timeline:
  • Currently developing draft policy
  • May: gather feedback on draft
  • June: present to board, finalize policy based on feedback
  • July: present final policy to board for approval

Discussion notes

• Improvements to stop locations
  • Have grant for upgrading existing bus stops – take to board this summer; process underway in Hayward to examine existing conditions and upgrade.
• Incorporating guidelines now on stop designs; updating board policy 545.
• Concern raised about safety of bus stops.
  • complement inclusion of safety on guidelines.